Misplaced Trust
by ElvenStrife
Summary: A traitor threatens to expose Mirkwood to an orc threat. Legolas, along with the help of Aragorn, is determined to save his home and expose the traitor. Of course, nothing ever goes according to plan. Warnings - Torture, Violence
1. Distressing News

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing that JRR Tolkien made up. Legolas, Thranduil, Aragorn, etc are all his. I am responsible, however for the invention of Oliner, Aluer, Aradul, Oloser and Telethil. They are mine and, if for some weird reason, you would like to use them, please ask my permission first. My preciousss.**

**Synopsis: A traitor threatens to expose Mirkwood to an orc threat. Legolas, along with the help of Aragorn, is determined to save his home and expose the traitor. Of course, nothing ever goes according to plan.**

**A/N: Yay, I've started another fanfic!! I hope this one turns out alright. Okay, so this story is going to have a bit of violence and character torture. If that's not you're thing, well, you've been warned now. Also, I don't write slash or smut. All love talked about or expressed in this story is either family or friendly love. Also, please review, don't make me beg!!!**

**A/N2: For those who don't know, Estel=Strider=Aragorn. They are one and the same! Also, there will be quite some Elvish in this story but don't fret, I've included the translation :)**

**Reviews: I would love to hear your thoughts, however bear in mind I am fairly new so therefore no flames please! Constructive criticism however is welcome but this is a fanfic so it doesn't have to make COMPLETE sense. Thanks,**

**READ: Okay, I am going to try editing some of these chapters and then upload them again as some of these little grammar/spelling mistakes have been driving me nuts!! Do not worry, the story will not be altered in anyway whatsoever, there will just be a few more commas and things placed in. I've also tried to fix a few of the Elvish phrases- didn't get them all though. If you still find some mistakes feel free to let me know in a review or a PM, I'd be glad to have your help ^_^ **

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Chapter 1: Distressing news

Legolas cursed under his breath as he turned yet another corner. It had become incredibly monotonous, jog down a corridor, turn, jog down another corridor, turn. At least there was not too far to go now.

"Amin hiraetha _[I'm sorry]_," Legolas muttered as he had to dodge yet another Elf. He didn't pause, only continued to make his way to the next corner.

The fair Elf almost cried in joy as he finally laid eyes upon his father's meeting room. He did not yet know why he had been summoned but by the urgency the messenger possessed he could summarize that his father was unnerved.

Legolas moved to the door and rapped his knuckles against the smooth wood twice. Within moments his father's voice sounded on the other side of the door. "Enter."

"Ada _[Father]_," Legolas said as he opened the door and strode into the room. He was greeted by the sight of his father sitting in a large high-backed chair. Across from the king, behind his desk, sat three elves.

Aluer, a fierce female warrior, was the one closest to the door. She was a fair-haired Elf with pale blue eyes. Legolas recognized her from the training grounds; she was quite frequently honing her skills. She was clad in brown leggings and a dark green tunic with a khaki over-shirt. Her hair was tied in a long flowing braid down her back.

As Legolas entered she smiled at him comfortingly even though he could see the distress in her eyes. She was one of his father's Lieutenants so for her to be here, the discussion would have to revolve around battle.

Next to her sat King Thranduil's trusted Captain, Oliner, whom Legolas had associated with on few occasions. His light brown hair was held back with two warrior braids, very similar to Legolas' own hair style. He wore a placid green tunic with black leggings. He inclined his head slightly at the prince's presence before returning his gaze to Thranduil.

The last Elf Legolas gazed at was unfamiliar. The Elf had ebony hair and wore a white cloak. He didn't appear as high-ranked as the other elves, holding himself in a submissive manner. The Elf continued to gaze at the floor, avoiding eye contact with everyone.

"Ion nin _[My son]_," Thranduil greeted his son before gesturing to an empty seat beside the unknown Elf.

"Now that Legolas is present, we can begin our discussion," Thranduil began, leaning forward. "As it so happens, I have been reported some uneasy news."

"Hir nin _[My Lord]_, I recommend that this discussion be kept confidential," Oliner suggested, shooting a quick glance at Legolas.

"Uma _[Yes]_," the king replied before continuing with his talk.

"I received news not more than three hours ago that an Elf had been spotted communing with Yrch _[Orcs]_, not too far from Mirkwood. A patrol was fortunate enough to spot this traitor but not subdue him." Thranduil sighed and clasped his hands as the news sunk into his audience.

"But why would an Elf communicate with an orc? An orc would not even tolerate one of the firstborn's presence, let alone make a deal with one." Aluer shifted gracefully in her seat.

"We do not yet know if it was a deal that was being discussed," Thranduil said. "The Elf was not caught so all we know is that for some unknown reason, orcs are within close range of Mirkwood and have a contact on the inside."

"Was not a description of the traitorous Elf cataloged?" Oliner asked confidently, as if that very question would stave off impending doom.

"No, they wore a cloak. We cannot even say whether they are male or female." Thranduil turned to his son, raising his eyebrows in question of Legolas' opinion.

Legolas felt unnerved by this information. He could think of no reason why an Elf would willingly commune with an orc. He did not even want to think about how dangerous this could prove to be for Mirkwood. "We should keep a closer eye on the gates; make sure everyone who enters and leaves is properly recorded."

"That could prove to be a painful mistake," Oliner objected.

"How so?" Legolas asked, annoyed at the captain for trying to prove him wrong.

"It is possible that the offender has another way of exiting Mirkwood and if we monitor the gates with more guards, we will be leaving other areas open and alerting the traitor to the fact that we are taking measures to catch them. They will be more careful. We can't afford to expend all our resources." Oliner sat back in his seat, smiling at the prince with only a hint of smugness.

"What do you suggest then?" Legolas did not even try to keep the impatience from his voice.

"We should mount a small military defense and hunt down the orcs before they have a chance to cause any trouble," Oliner drawled as if it were obvious.

"We have no idea where the orcs are situated, it could be days of searching," Legolas countered.

"But then the threat would be eliminated. I mean, we could always wait till the orcs come to us?" Oliner sneered at the Prince.

"Or we could just go straight to them and save them the trouble," the Elven Prince replied icily.

"Dina _[Be silent]_," Thranduil stood, placing his hands on the table and halting the discussion almost immediately. "We are here to discuss this issue formerly. Now, can you please stop acting like a pair of Elflings and be serious?"

"Of course," Oliner bowed his head respectfully.

"Uma, Ada _[Yes, Father]_." Legolas inclined his head slightly.

"Now, Aluer, do you have anything to add to this conversation?" Thranduil turned to the Lieutenant who had been ignored in the argument between Legolas and Oliner.

"No, my king." The fair she-Elf glanced at Legolas and Oliner with a tiny trace of amusement in her eyes.

"Very well," the king sighed. "I believe that Oliner is heading in the right direction with an idea."

"Ada _[Father]_, taking action against the orcs will expend our resources faster than if we were to increase security. Besides, we have no idea as to how many orcs are in the forest. There could be hundreds." Legolas felt like shaking his father he was so frustrated.

"We could always check with the patrols when they return to see if orcs have been spotted," Thranduil looked at his son. "We must take the offensive, ion nin _[my son]_."

"Even if it means killing all of our Elven warriors! We have no idea what is waiting for us, it could be a trap." Legolas glowered at his father angrily.

"No!" Thranduil looked imploringly at his son, begging him to understand. "As Captain Oliner said before, we could send out a small scout. If we only send a few, we won't deplete our warriors and they have a higher chance of avoiding the attention of orcs."

"And a higher chance of not returning," the Prince muttered darkly.

"Ion nin, saes, _[my son, please] _why do you disagree with this plan of action so strongly?" The Elven king asked his son, begging him silently not to be so stubborn.

"Raef! _[It is a trap!]_," Legolas stood and shook his head disbelievingly at his father's ignorance. "Nin heniach? _[Do you understand me?]_"

"Uma, ion nin _[Yes, my son]_," Thranduil sighed and glanced at the other elves. "Legolas, I beg you to see reason. This way, we discover the number of orcs and keep most of our warriors within Mirkwood. We need to _do_ something."

Legolas shook his head, convinced they were doing the wrong thing. "Fine Ada _[Father]_, I concede. King knows best."

Thranduil smiled sadly at his son before turning to the other elves. "Tomorrow, a scout of thirty elves will be sent out into the forest to search for the orc party."

"Man tôg _[Who is leading]_?" Aluer asked, satisfied that a decision had finally been reached.

Oliner spoke up before anyone else could answer. "Who better to lead a small army than the Prince himself?"

"Me?" Legolas scowled at the Captain. He was beginning to develop a deep contempt for his father's trusted friend.

"Yes, my Prince, with you there the warriors will be encouraged. Due to them being few in number, they will need something to boost their spirits." Oliner smiled as the Prince's scowl deepened.

"Now you want _me_ to lead this suicide mission?" Legolas eyed the captain disdainfully. He was really beginning to dislike the Elf.

"You will both go," Thranduil ordered swiftly, before either Elf could object. "Tomorrow afternoon you will head into the depths of Mirkwood with your escort of thirty and eliminate the threat."

Legolas had no problem with giving his life for his people but he viewed this mission as unnecessary. He was even more irked by the fact that Captain Oliner would be there. He would try to build a friendship with the fellow Elf but he was not sure Oliner even had any respect for him.

"Be iest lîn _[As you wish]_," Legolas said emotionlessly.

"What shall I do, my king?" Aluer asked.

"I shall need you here to help keep order amongst the other warriors. We will need to mount _some_ sort of defense." The king stood and gestured to the door for them to leave.

"Legolas, I wish for you to remain." Thranduil said as he saw his son heading for the door. "You too, Aradul."

Legolas' curiousity was spiked as the ebony-haired Elf returned to his seat. The Elf had not spoken throughout the entire conversation regarding the orcs.

"Ada _[Father]_?" Legolas raised an eyebrow in question.

"Legolas, I am sorry how that discussion went –" Thranduil began.

"No, Ada, it is okay. I understand," Legolas lied. He did not understand but he knew he wouldn't be able to sway his father on the matter. "Man ta _[Who is that]_?" The prince gestured to the raven-haired Elf.

Thranduil gazed at his son, trying to read his expression but failed. Legolas was too good at hiding his emotions. "That is Aradul. He is a messenger from Rivendell."

At the mention of his name Aradul stood and bowed deeply to Legolas. "Lle govaded vaer, hir nin. _[Pleasure meeting you, my lord]_."

"Mae govannen, telyg pen _[Well met, loyal one]_." Legolas replied as the Elf straightened.

"Aradul arrived before the meeting with a message for you. I decided that, since he is from Rivendell and therefore cannot be the traitor, he could stay throughout the discussion. Aradul, report what has transpired this evening to Lord Elrond upon your return to Rivendell but remember, it is confidential to everyone else." Thranduil smiled at the messenger who flushed and nodded.

"A message for me?" Legolas asked as Aradul handed him an envelope. He broke the seal and read the note quickly as he recognized the handwriting:

_Prince Legolas Greenleaf Thranduilion _[Son of Thranduil]

_I am missing you dearly mellon n__î__n _[my friend]_ and it has been many moons since I last saw you. Therefore, I am traveling to Mirkwood and this letter is merely to let you know that I will arrive soon. _

_I look forward to seeing you again, _

_Estel _

Legolas read the letter twice more to be sure that he hadn't missed a word. Aragorn was coming! He was thrilled.

"Ada, Estel will be here soon. May he come with us on the scout?" The prince asked, almost singing with joy.

"If you want, ion nin _[my son]. _I will postpone the scout until he arrives," Thranduil replied, happy to see a smile lighting up his sons' face. If it helped to boost the prince's spirits, he would wait for as long as it took for the human ranger to arrive.

"Hannon lle Ada, Aradul _[Thank you Father, Aradul]_," Legolas called as he almost skipped from the room.

Even if he was depressed about the way the meeting had ended, Legolas felt more confident that they would be able to succeed if they had some Hope.

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**A/N: Well, there's chapter one. Are you intrigued? I am :o Anyway, I'll try and have the next chapter up by the weekend. Emphasize the TRY. Please, please, please review. You'll make me happy. Also, for those of you who don't know, Estel means hope in Elvish, so that's what the bit at the end was about. Just a small inside joke, LOL ;)**

**{If you still find any mistakes- feel free to let me know!! Lol, constructive criticism helps. If I know they're there, then they'll no doubt annoy me until I fix them up :P}**


	2. Departure

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: First, I'd like to give a big, fat 'THANK YOU' to everyone who reviewed the first chapter, and to all you who didn't but still read it :) Okay, note: The Elvish I use is from like, four different sites so it is probably chock-a-block full of mistakes. Please, don't be too harsh about that, I don't claim to be an expert on Elvish; I just like it when authors include it in their stories so I thought I'd try and do the same. Thanks for understanding, now, on with the story…**

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Chapter 2: Departure

"Estel!" Legolas greeted his friend as the ranger emerged through the main gates.

"Legolas, it is good to see you!" Aragorn walked forward and clasped the Elf's forearm.

"You too, mellon nîn _[my friend]_," Legolas smiled at the human, glad to finally see his dearest friend again.

"Estel, there is something I must ask of you," Legolas beckoned to the human to walk with him.

"Feel free."

"Well, I am overdue to carry out a mission. I will be traveling out to the forest to search for a party of oppressive orcs. I am due to leave within the hour; do you care to join me?" Legolas continued to lead Aragorn to the room which had been assigned to him for the duration of his stay in Mirkwood.

"Have you ever been able to get rid of me before?" The ranger grinned lopsidedly as Legolas opened the door to the guest room.

"Well then, I hope you can prepare yourself within an hour. That includes a bath. I'm not sure if you've noticed but days of travel without bathing can have a rather…_rancid_ effect on you." Legolas grinned as the human turned on him.

"Prissy Elf," he muttered before turning and depositing his weapons on the bed and began taking off his boots.

Legolas laughed lightly, a musical sound to the human's ears. "Well, then I'll leave you to it." In one movement the Elf had left and closed the door. Aragorn chuckled to himself, he had missed his friend.

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Legolas made his way to his room. He would collect his weapons and then go and tend to his horse, Oloser. The Elves did not need to saddle their horses, they rode bareback, but it would be nice to spend some time with his trusted steed.

He entered his room and scooped up his twin white knives, bow and quiver. These were his trusted weapons and he would not travel anywhere without them. He slung his bow and quiver across his back before sheathing his blades within his shoulder scabbard.

"Why, Prince Legolas, I had a feeling I'd find you here," a voice sounded in the doorway and Legolas turned to find Captain Oliner on his threshold.

"Suil Nikerym _[Greetings Captain]_," Legolas replied evenly.

"Geril chûr _[Are you ready]_?" Oliner asked formerly, without a hint of any emotion whatsoever.

"Uma _[Yes]_," Legolas walked past the captain and made his way to the stables, followed closely by the other Elf.

"Where are you going, then, my Prince?" Oliner asked casually, knowing that he was irking the prince by formerly addressing him.

"To the stables," Legolas stopped and looked at the Elf. "Would you like to join me?"

"No, my prince, I have to prepare the warriors. I was just wondering if the human would be joining us?" Oliner tried to hide his distaste of the idea of traveling with Aragorn but Legolas caught it.

"_Aragorn_," Legolas strained his name, "will accompany me on this trip, yes. Is that a problem?"

"Of course not, hir nin _[my lord]_, I was just checking our numbers." Oliner turned and disappeared down the corridor.

Legolas turned and continued for the stables. He knew that a friendship with Oliner would be hard and he was not sure he even wanted to try. He knew that, as a Prince he should make an effort to associate with all his subjects. Oliner was just a different matter. It was as if the Elf had already decided he did not like the prince.

"Oloser," Legolas greeted his horse fondly as he entered the stables. Oloser was a tall, snow-white horse whom had gotten Legolas out of many sticky situations. The Prince considered this horse one of his greatest friends; they shared a bond that only some Elves had the pleasure of experiencing with their horses.

Legolas grabbed a brush off of the stable wall before commencing with the readying of his horse. He wanted to prepare Oloser properly, it would not be long now before he traveled into the forest with his faithful steed to face however many orcs were hiding in there.

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"Lord Aragorn, are you prepared?" Thranduil asked the ranger. He had come to see how much longer it would be until the mission would be carried out. It had already had to wait for three days until the human arrived.

"Yes, King Thranduil. I am dressed and armed. However, I still need a mount," Aragorn answered truthfully.

"That is no problem; we have many fine horses that you can choose from. Please, follow me." Thranduil disappeared down the hall. Aragorn hastened to follow.

"My king, where is Legolas?" Aragorn could not stave off his curiousity any longer. He longed to be with his friend.

"I believe he is already at the stables," Thranduil gave a low, almost inaudible chuckle. He was still perplexed by how strong Aragorn and Legolas' friendship was. Legolas was the last Elf anyone would expect to have a human as a best friend.

Aragorn increased his pace; he wanted to reach his friend as soon as possible. He was soon jogging to the stables, King Thranduil keeping pace effortlessly.

As soon as he reached the door to the stable, he threw it open and glanced around the interior. Legolas sat on a stool, patting his horse lovingly. "Mellon nîn _[My friend]_."

Legolas glanced up and smiled at his friend. "Ready?"

The ranger nodded. "I still need a horse though. Any ideas?"

The Prince stood and walked to another horse within the stable. "This is Telethil. He is a brave and trustworthy steed. Unfortunately, his rider was pierced by an orc arrow. He will serve you well."

"Hannon lle _[Thank you]_," Aragon approached the horse. It was a dapple grey. He smiled as the horse nuzzled his outstretched hand affectionately.

"He likes you," Thranduil said from the doorway.

"Are the other warriors ready, Ada?" Legolas asked his father. He did not feel this trip would accomplish anything but his father obviously believed otherwise.

"Yes. They are marshalling by the gate. I suggest you saddle up Estel's horse and meet them there. I will go ahead and alert them to your coming." Thranduil turned and headed for the main gate.

"So, mellon nîn _[my friend]_, care to tell me more about the mission?" Aragorn hefted the appropriate saddle onto Telethil's back.

Legolas sighed and looked at his friend sadly. "There is a traitor within Mirkwood. An Elf was spotted conversing with an orc. The Elf was not captured and the subject of conversation was not overheard. My father wishes for me and Captain Oliner to lead a group of thirty Elves to track down and vanquish the orc threat."

"A traitor? That is bad news indeed," Aragorn fixed the bit in his horse's mouth before mounting. Legolas did the same, his horse donning neither a saddle nor a bridle.

They exited through the larger door made for mounted riders before galloping, full pelt, towards the main gate. "Who is Captain Oliner?" Aragorn asked.

"My father's most trusted battle advisor. He is difficult. Sometimes he seems as if he is up to something, and other times he is quite passive. I am sorry Estel, but I do not think he is too fond of humans," Legolas warned. The last thing anyone needed was to fight amongst themselves. It was better if everyone remained cautious towards one another.

"I will keep that in mind," the ranger agreed.

Within moments the sight of thirty white horses greeted them. At the front of the group was Oliner, conversing with King Thranduil. He was not mounted and appeared to be losing his patience by the way he shifted continuously. Legolas and Aragorn approached on foot.

"Prince Legolas, Lord Aragorn, it is good that you are here now. The warriors are growing restless," Oliner shot a dark look at the human before turning back to Thranduil.

"My King," He bowed curtly before mounting his horse and shouting commands to the Elven warriors.

"Ada, we are now completely ready to depart." Legolas looked at his father, trying to see if the king was having second thoughts. There was no such luck.

"Of course ion nin _[my son]_. Namaarie, nan lû govaded vîn _[Farewell, until next we meet]_," Thranduil clapped his son on the shoulder before turning to Aragorn.

"Namaarie Aran Thranduil _[Farewell King Thranduil]_," Aragorn smiled at the king.

"Make sure you keep him out of trouble," Thranduil gestured towards Legolas who frowned slightly. "You two have been known to get into unnecessary trouble before. Do not look for trouble. Simply accomplish your goal in the safest way possible. Understand?"

"Uma _[Yes]_," they muttered in unison.

"Well then, I see no reason why this mission should be delayed any longer. Namaarie _[Farewell]_ Aragorn, Legolas," the Elven King turned to the rest of the Elven warriors who were now poised for departure. Legolas and Aragorn returned to their horses, mounted and made their way to the head of the procession.

"Raid lîn celin a melthin! Hortho ar' nadirio _[May your ways be green and golden! Hurry and be careful]_!" Thranduil announced before standing back and allowing the warriors to start filing out of Mirkwood.

Legolas smiled slightly at his father before disappearing through the gate and out of sight. Aragorn rode next to his friend as they flew through the forest. He looked at the Prince and from the expression on his face he could tell that the Elf was rather displeased.

"What troubles you mellon nîn _[my friend]_?"

Legolas started at the sound of Aragorn's voice. "I just view this mission as a mistake. The orcs will, no doubt, outnumber us and Mirkwood will lose thirty brave warriors along with her Prince."

"Maybe. If you keep an attitude like that then we will fail. Have faith in yourself and your warriors. We are a force to be reckoned with." Aragorn flashed Legolas a lopsided grin, causing the Elf to smile in return.

"For everyone's sakes, I hope so," Legolas murmured.

The company of thirty-three continued to make its way further into the forest, searching for the orcs whom they'd been assigned to eliminate. It was getting dark and they would need to make camp within three hours. They just hoped that they'd choose a relatively safe place, which was hard considering they didn't know where the orcs were.

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**TBC**

**A/N: Yay!! Chapter 2! Well, that chapter was rather boring :p I'll try and post the next chapter really soon due to this one being so dull. How does Monday sound? Thank you all for reading. Review, come on, you know you want to…**

**{Again, if you still see any mistakes feel free to let me know in a constructive manner!! Hannon lle}**


	3. First Strike

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: Yay, chapter 3! This one will have some action in it; I hope I'm not terrible at writing action scenes :) Thanks to all my lovely reviewers, you make this worthwhile!! **

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Chapter 3: First Strike

Legolas looked back at the camp sadly. He knew that there would be casualties on this mission, it was inevitable. He just hoped the majority of their company would escape unscathed. Or at least alive.

He'd chosen to take the first watch; he didn't think he would be able to stand Oliner's insistent nagging about battle strategies. So, he now sat in a large tree a short distance from the camp. From his position he would be able to identify intruders from a distance and he was completely unnoticeable, his green attire blending in perfectly with the surrounding leaves. The horses were in a clearing nearby for the night, there was no room for them in the immediate area.

At least here, in the tree, he had some time to collect his thoughts. He had so many mixed emotions. Anger at the orcs, annoyance at Oliner, fear for the warriors, and guilt for dragging Estel into this. When the letter had come, his first priority had been seeing his friend. Now, he realized he shouldn't have allowed Aragorn to accompany him. He could very well die. They all could, and Legolas felt responsible.

The sun had fallen below the horizon a long while ago; the rest of the camp was asleep. He didn't mind, of course, the silence was tranquil.

"Legolas!" A hissed whisper from below caught his attention.

"Estel?"

"Who else?" The ranger jumped up and clumsily made his way to the high branch Legolas had chosen to perch on.

"Why are you awake?" Legolas asked, moving over to make room on the tree limb.

"I could not sleep. I tried many times but eventually I had to move, I could lie there no longer," Aragorn smiled in the darkness. "How long till morning?"

Legolas studied the horizon carefully. "I'd say at least another six hours, give or take. Do you plan on trying to sleep again tonight?"

"No, I will keep watch with you," Aragorn replied, finality in his voice.

"You cannot go without sleep for a prolonged period of time, like an Elf can. You must rest, Estel," the archer pressured.

"I will only toss and turn, 'tis no use even trying. Now, aren't you supposed to be studying our surroundings, not me?" Aragorn raised an eyebrow at his friend.

Without a word, Legolas averted his gaze to the forest and sat completely still, poised for trouble. The only sign of life was the gentle rise and fall of his chest. Aragorn sighed and gazed out at the stars.

The woods were deathly quiet, not a sound. Even the wind was silent as it blew through the foliage of the tall trees. Aragorn never would have been alerted to a change in the atmosphere except he sensed, more than saw, his friend stiffen considerably.

"Man sa _[What is it]_?" Aragorn whispered so that only Legolas' keen ears would pick it up.

Legolas looked at his friend, distress in his crystalline blue eyes. "Yrch_._" Without a second's hesitation the Elf had pulled his bow from his back and knocked an arrow.

"Manen hae? _[How far?]_" Aragorn whispered, drawing his own bow stealthily.

"Il hae faarea _[Not far enough]_," Legolas growled. He knew that this mission was going to be impossible.

Aragorn swore in dwarvish before studying the ground again. He was not capable of sensing orcs, like Legolas was so he had to rely on his hearing and sight to alert him to any intruders.

A moment later Legolas wordlessly pointed to a small patch of brush a few metres from their tree. Aragorn looked closely but could not discern any orcs. Legolas continued to point his arrow at the bush, waiting for the right moment to strike.

"Manen rimbe _[How many]_?" Aragorn whispered, training his own bow on the bush.

"Meneg ame yonta _[A thousand or more]_," Legolas frowned. He had told them this was a bad idea. How were they supposed to fight off so many with only thirty Elves? Mirkwood was in bigger danger than he first thought.

Aragorn gasped. He couldn't believe it. _A thousand!_ No wonder Legolas was worried about their chances of success. No matter how hard he thought, he could not think of a reason for such a large number of orcs to be occupying the forest. There were not enough to take Mirkwood and there were too many for a small scouting party.

Legolas felt a sense of dread overcome him. They wouldn't be able to hold off that many. They had no chance, Estel, Oliner, the warriors; they were all going to die. He regretted asking Estel to join him; he endangered his best friend's life for his own selfish purposes. He cursed himself for his idiocy.

"I'll climb down and wake the others," Aragorn hissed, slipping back into Common.

"The orcs will see you," the Elf hissed back.

"If I don't alert them, than the orcs will end up with the upper hand." The ranger turned to climb back down the tree.

"Strider, there are too many orcs to fight with or without waking the others. If you go down there the orcs will shoot you and you will be giving away my position," Legolas said quickly, before his friend could leave the confines of the tree.

"What do you propose we do?" Aragorn asked.

"You stay here and watch the orcs, if they show themselves feel free to shoot them. I will climb up higher and make my way back to the Elves. From high in the trees the Elves ears will hear me whispering to them whereas the orcs will not." The Elf stood and gracefully grabbed the branch above him with both hands. He pulled himself up acrobatically before repeating the maneuver again.

Aragorn glowered at the Elf's retreating form before returning his attention to the bush. The orcs were not visible but he knew they were surrounding the camp. This one bush could not contain a thousand or more orcs. They were trapped.

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Legolas leapt from the branch and landed on the opposite tree bough gracefully without so much as stirring a leaf. He had now reached the tree above Captain Oliner. Legolas knew that he should wake up the Captain first but he really didn't want to, he'd much rather rouse a warrior but he was choice less in the matter.

"Captain Oliner," Legolas whispered urgently, hoping the Elf was only in a light sleep.

Oliner stirred almost immediately. "Prince…L-Legolas?"

"Uma. Dina, ellen yrch _[Yes. Be silent, there are orcs]_," Legolas whispered quickly before the Captain could move and alert the orcs to his awareness.

"Manen rimbe _[How many]_?" Oliner whispered back, his lips barely moving. He was able to make eye contact with the Prince without the orcs knowing he was awake due to Elves sleeping with their eyes open.

"Meneg ame yonta _[A thousand or more]_," Legolas replied, impatient with having to repeat what he had said to Aragorn.

"Nan aear ar in elin _[By the sea and stars]_!" Oliner exclaimed.

"Dina!" Legolas whispered firmly.

"Goheno nin _[Forgive me]_," the Captain replied, studying Legolas carefully.

"Mas i edan? _[Where is the human?]_" Oliner asked, suspicion clear in his voice.

"Why does it matter?" Legolas asked, switching to man's tongue.

"I am merely asking. It is my job to be suspicious," Oliner replied.

"Is it because he is a human?" The Prince could not keep the anger from his voice.

"We have more urgent things to worry about," the other Elf sighed. "What do you suggest?"

"I will circle around behind the largest group of them and surprise them. After I have diverted their attention I suggest you send some archers into the trees to provide support from above. The rest can fight on the ground. I believe with so many numbers, the orcs will be victorious." Legolas stood on the limb and prepared to make his way through the branches once more.

"I hope you are wrong," Oliner muttered softly but Legolas' sharp ears picked it up.

The Prince spared no second thoughts; he quickly leapt from the branch and continued through the trees. He soon reached Aragorn who was poised in the same position. "Estel," he whispered.

The human looked up and smiled when he saw his friend. "How did it go?"

"I am going to divert the orc's attention. When they show themselves, do not hesitate to kill them." Legolas turned to leave.

"You are sure?" Aragorn asked, displeased with what his friend was planning to do.

"Yes," Legolas assured before leaving, slipping through the trees like a light breeze, unnoticed by all.

He continued to make his way through the trees, leaping and landing with all the agility possessed by his race. Not once did he make a sound to alert the orcs to his presence. He saw them, mere metres from their camp in every direction. They were indeed surrounded.

Legolas made his way to the back of a particularly large group of orcs, at least fifty. He stayed high so that the foul creatures would not be able to see him through the foliage.

The orcs were safely concealed behind large bushes and continued to stare at the camp, as if awaiting orders from their leader. Legolas' suspicions were proven correct as a rather large orc appeared and started whispering commandingly to the other orcs. Despite their rough language and deep growls, they were impeccably quiet.

The orc spoke swiftly before turning his attention to the camp. It lifted a strung bow and aimed it towards one of the sleeping Elves. Legolas reacted swiftly, releasing his own arrow.

The orc loosed a cry of rage and agony as the arrow pierced the flesh on its' shoulder. It whirled in the direction of the tree Legolas was perched in and started shouting more orders to the shocked orcs who merely continued to gape at their leader.

Legolas saw a few orcs head into the campsite as warriors were running everywhere, either heading for trees or grabbing weapons. Oliner's voice was heard issuing orders. Obviously, the orc's howl had been enough to wake the other Elves.

"Get him!" The leader screeched to all nearby orcs, gesturing towards Legolas' tree. The Elf was not yet visible but his never-ending torrent of arrows continued to rain down upon the orcs.

Due to the brutes being unable to see him, they shot arrows blindly towards the tree, forcing Legolas to be more cautious. If he could not anticipate where the next arrow was going to come from, it would be harder for him to dodge it.

"I said 'get him' fools!" The orc leader screeched again, snatching a bow off of a nearby orc and stringing it. He took steady aim at the tree and began firing himself.

The Elven Prince swore loudly as an orc arrow embedded itself in bark centimeters from his head. He decided that gaining more altitude would be best, so he stood and grabbed the branch above his head.

Almost instantly, a sharp pain shot through Legolas' arm, forcing him to gasp and relinquish his hold on the branch. Bringing his arm in front of himself, he saw a black arrow shaft protruding from his left forearm.

"I hit 'im, I hit 'im!" An orc shouted gleefully. "There he is! I can see 'im!"

The surrounding orcs moved to where the other orc was, trying to glimpse the Prince. The leader snarled angrily as he saw the fair-haired being leaning against the tree trunk. He lifted his bow and took careful aim.



Aragorn started at the sound of an agonized orc howl coming from within the bushes. '_Legolas,'_ he thought before orcs started pouring out of the forest like starving wargs.

Immediately he started firing arrows in quick succession. He was not as skilled an archer as Legolas but his aim was still uncanny. Throughout the entire camp, orcs were crying out in rage and pain.

Elves stormed through the clearing, getting over their initial shock of waking to hundreds of orcs rushing at them. Aragorn smiled slightly as Elves began scaling trees to join him in the arrow assault.

Orc leaders shouted orders to their troops, trying to form some sort of strategy but the entire campsite was a mess. Orc corpses littered the floor making it harder for the ground combatant's to move. So far, the Elves had suffered no casualties.

Aragorn grinned as his arrow stuck an orc in the forehead, ending its sorry existence. He reached back to grab another missile, only to find empty air. He pulled the quiver off his back and gazed at the empty space. He was out of arrows. He immediately returned the empty quiver and bow to his back before unsheathing his sword and descending the tree.

As soon as his feet hit the ground, he lashed out with his sword arm, swiftly decapitating an orc. Without so much as a pause he swirled around and thrust the tip of his sword through the chest plate of an oncoming orc. It fell dead at his feet almost instantly.

Aragorn pulled his sword out of the lifeless chest before sparing a glance in the direction of the trees. There were angry shouts and grunts coming from the area but still no sign of Legolas. No sign that he was alive.

The ranger cursed as he dodged an orc blade too late and he ended up with a long, shallow scratch on his shoulder. He brought his blade up and ended the orc's life with a quick jab before moving onto the next one.

The orcs continued to pile into the clearing, never running out of numbers. The Elves had suffered some losses by now, Aragorn could not be sure how many. All he did notice was that orcs now swarmed all around him and the presence of Elven warriors seemed to be dwindling. Occasionally he would spot an Elf, a blur chopping down orcs, but their numbers had been reduced critically, whereas the orcs just kept coming.

Aragorn snarled in disgust as orc blood sprayed over the front of his tunic after having disemboweled one with a sharp slash of his blade. He turned and ran an orc through before ducking and slicing out again, cleaving off the arm of another one. He could feel his muscles weakening and his hope draining. _There were just too many…_

"How do you fare, human?" A voice sounded near.

The ranger turned and saw Oliner not too far off, supported in a tree branch. He appeared to be monitoring the battle from above and from the state of his clean clothes and unperturbed hair, had been doing little fighting himself.

"Not well, they number too many. How fare the rest of the Elves?" He called back to the Captain, all the while parrying and dodging orc attacks.

"Also not good. We are down to at least under ten warriors left. We no longer have any arrows left for our archers so they had to join the ground troops. It seems we have been totally trapped," he noted without a hint of remorse.

"Well, if that is the case, why do you not fight?" Aragorn eyed the Elf suspiciously.

Oliner opened his mouth to reply but before the words left his throat, something collided with the back of Aragorn's skull and he knew no more.

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**A/N: Well, wasn't that interesting? What happened to Legolas? What's going to happen to Aragorn? If you want to find out, might I suggest tuning into the next chapter which will be posted in, say, three or four days, give or take. If it's a little late I apologize now. REVIEW! Pretty please with cherries on top? Well, I'll leave you all here with this nice little cliffy, eh? Until next time :)**

**{Again, if you still see any mistakes feel free to let me know in a constructive manner!! Hannon lle}**


	4. Betrayal

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one) Also, Laythil, Raaen and Helrin are mine.**

**A/N: Thank you to all of my priceless reviewers, you ROCK!! Note: From this chapter on will contain a sadistic bad guy, so I'm warning you again, if you have a weak stomach or prefer to avoid that entire dark torture/pain type genre, be WARNED! Thanks and now, chapter four….**

**A/N2: I hope everyone is having an awesome Christmas! Season's Greetings! :)**

* * *

Chapter 4: Betrayal

Legolas saw the arrow aimed at him by the orc leader. His eyes widened as the arrow was released and he used every ounce of the Elven agility he possessed to stand and jump to the branch next to him. The arrow whizzed past, a hair's breadth from his cheek.

"Did you hit 'im?" An orc bellowed.

"I don't see his body fallin'!" Another yelled.

"Shut up you worthless, pig-headed fools!" The leader readjusted his aim as he saw the Elf trying to move behind the tree, where he'd be harder to reach.

Legolas found it nearly impossible to maneuver through the branches with an injured arm and orc arrows trailing him. He needed to find a safe place to stop and tend to his wound. The last thing he needed was for it to become infected.

"Did you hit 'im Gorlag?" The orcs continued to pester their leader.

"No, now if yer don't shut yer hole we'll lose 'im!" Gorlag was clearly becoming irritated.

"What are you pitiful creatures still doing here?" That was a new voice, one that made Legolas' insides freeze. He knew that voice.

The archer risked a look around the side of the tree trunk. Sure enough, he saw the owner of the voice striding towards the leader of the orcs. Behind the traitor, numerous orcs followed, shooting looks of contempt and disapproval at the Elf. In amongst the sea of surviving beasts, Legolas saw four beings being dragged to the fore of the group. Prisoners.

Immediately the prince recognized Aragorn. He was unconscious, dried blood on his shoulder, tunic and the back of his head. Legolas felt a pit of rage boil inside him as he looked at his friend, bloody and unconscious.

The other three prisoners were Elves, two of which were conscious. The unconscious one had an arrow protruding from his stomach, blood steadily seeping from the wound. The two conscious Elves were trying their best to tend to the dying Elf but were prevented from doing so by the orcs holding them. The pair seemed to be in alright shape, except one seemed to favour his right leg. If they received medical attention, they would be able to recover quickly. Unfortunately, medical attention looked unlikely.

"We was huntin' down that there other Elf," Gorlag gestured in Legolas' general direction.

"Ah, the _Prince_. Of course." The traitor moved towards the tree, ignoring the orcs' surprise at finding out the Elf they'd been trying to kill was, in fact, the Prince of Mirkwood.

"Come along little Princeling, do not make this harder on yourself," the Elf called to Legolas, trying to locate the archer's exact position.

"Traitor!" Legolas spat, his voice dripping with disgust. "Why do you ally yourself with those abominations?"

"I do not ally myself with them, Princeling. I merely use them to do my bidding. In return, they are graced with our master's satisfaction. Since our master has put me in charge of them, they have no choice but to do as I say," he chuckled lightly.

"You have sunken so low as to place yourself in another's servitude? What could possibly persuade you, an honourable Captain, to do this so called _master's _bidding?" Legolas asked, trying to get the other Elf in his line of site whilst remaining concealed. He needed to stall until he could figure something out. He knew it was futile, but he wouldn't make his capture _easy_ for them.

Legolas wasn't sure how to feel about this betrayal. He had viewed Captain Oliner as a loyal man, if arrogant. Even though the Captain was obnoxious and pig-headed at times he was loyal, always abiding by King Thranduil's judgment. For the Captain to go against his King now was totally unexpected.

"You remain as ignorant as ever. I have not sunken low! I have gained power beyond you or _Thranduil_," Oliner said the word with disgust. "Power given to me by none other than Sharkey!"

Legolas racked his brain, trying to recall if he'd heard anyone referred to as 'Sharkey' before. He didn't remember anyone ever being called 'Sharkey', it must be a name known only by those who did his bidding. "Who is this 'Sharkey' to sway your loyalty? To grant you this _power_ you claim to have?"

"I do not _claim_ to have power, young Princeling; Sharky has bestowed on me my own army of orcs! I have authority, and once you gain the courage to emerge from your cowardly hiding spot, I will have the mighty Prince of Mirkwood at my mercy. Once I have the entire pitiful realm of Mirkwood at my feet, Sharkey will grant me such power as no Elf has had before!" The Captain laughed maniacally, causing Legolas to shudder slightly. The Elf had truly lost his mind.

"You have lost yourself, Oliner. I pity you," Legolas said softly, but Oliner's sharp ears heard it easily.

"Do not pity me O mighty Elven Prince; you will need to reserve all your pity for yourself. The next few days of your life are going to be rather…_uncomfortable_." He laughed again, a shrill sound in the quiet forest. "Now, why don't you come down here? I'd hate to have to chase you." His tone, however, suggested that he would very much enjoy pursuing the Prince.

"I still do not understand why you want Mirkwood. Why does 'Sharkey' want Mirkwood? Who is 'Sharkey'?" Legolas wanted answers; this was all too much to take in. He also needed to keep stalling until he could find a way to sneak off. He knew Oliner's Elven eyesight would see him move but he couldn't stay here much longer.

"So many questions, Legolas. I guess I could tell you Sharkey wants Mirkwood for the purpose of turning it into an orc populated area. Drive out the Elves and allow the orcs to make roost. Rather beautiful, isn't it? After catching the Prince, the rest of Mirkwood should fall easily." Oliner's voice was getting closer. He was approaching the tree.

"Beautiful? It is sick. You are an _Elf_, Oliner! Do you no longer care for your kin?" Legolas could think of no Elf that could support in the destruction of their own homeland. He could also not guess who 'Sharkey' could be. Oliner was obviously not going to tell him.

"I tire of this, Princeling." Without warning Legolas heard the lower branches of the tree he was in creak slightly as Oliner crawled up them ruthlessly. Legolas moved instantly.

The archer leapt forward and landed on the branch of the tree in front of him. He continued to run forward, leaping from tree to tree. He kept his left arm cradled close to his chest to prevent further injury. He wasn't sure where he could go; he needed to rescue the other Elves and Estel. To do that, he needed to lose Oliner who was close on his heels.

"There is no use running Prince! You will only further exert yourself," the sadistic Captain called from behind him.

Legolas leapt down to a lower tree, hoping to throw the other Elf off. He heard no noise of orcs following them so he assumed Oliner had ordered them to stay with the prisoners.

The Prince contemplated jumping to the ground, to try and confuse Oliner but before he could decide, something knocked into his side and he fell to the ground. A large weight pinned him and he had to suppress a moan as pressure was purposely placed on his wound.

"Give up?" Oliner smiled down at him.

"You will not succeed in taking Mirkwood. My capture will have no effect on my father's decision. He knows Mirkwood is more important than any one Elf. Even the Prince," Legolas sneered at the Captain. "Your plan failed before it began."

"For an Elf, you lack the superior intelligence. That is not my plan, fool. But don't worry; you won't have long until you find out." Oliner dug his nails into the flesh on Legolas' left forearm, causing the arrow to move and send a jolt of pain through the Elf's limb. He couldn't suppress the sharp gasp that escaped his throat.

"That's more like it," Oliner whispered before pulling Legolas' arms together and binding them tightly with some rope in his pocket, holding the prince's legs down with his body weight.

"You will not succeed," Legolas hissed venomously.

The Captain smiled, a madness in his eyes that Legolas had never seen there before. "We'll see."

Oliner hopped off of Legolas and immediately the Prince stood, trying to ignore the pain shooting through his arm. Legolas was pushed forward roughly, a blade pressed to his back.

"Be a good Elf, now," Oliner whispered. He pushed the knife forward slightly to emphasize his point. Legolas was forced to walk forward unless he wanted a deep wound in his back.

Minutes later they emerged into the clearing where the orcs were congregated. The beasts had now tied the prisoners up, even the dying Elf. Aragorn was still unconscious.

Oliner reached forward and pulled the Elf's weapons from his back. He threw them towards a nearby tree where Aragorn and the Elven warrior's weapons were also situated. He gave the orcs orders that they were to remain untouched.

"Place our little Princeling with his friends," Oliner said to Gorlag who was waiting expectantly for his orders.

The orc dragged Legolas over to the other Elves and tied him to a small stake in the ground. That was when he realized the other occupants of his former scouting party were also tied likewise to the ground.

As Gorlag turned to walk away the Elf lashed out with his leg, tripping the orc. As soon as Gorlag hit the ground Legolas dug the heel of his boot into the beast's stomach, causing him to cry out in pain.

Immediately, nearby orcs moved in to rescue their leader. Legolas felt an orc fist bash into his back followed by many more blows to his ribcage and arms. He gasped every time a sharp claw found his arrow wound. The shaft had still not been removed.

"Enough," barked Oliner. "So, Princeling, you have spirit. Well, that will not last long. Every spirit is breakable." He laughed again, causing Legolas to grind his teeth together.

"Gen fuion _[I am disgusted with you]_," Legolas spat, a small line of blood flowing from his mouth where an orc had smashed its brutish fist into his jaw.

Oliner reached forward and wiped the blood away with his finger, ignoring Legolas' flinch as he touched his skin. He lifted the same finger to his mouth and licked the blood hungrily from his finger, as if it was a life-giving beverage. "How about now?"

Legolas kept his face impassive at the horrid display the other Elf had just executed but inside he felt a spike of fear. This Elf was truly mad, completely and utterly insane. Who knew what such a monster was capable of? "How did you hide such insanity from the other Elves? The King?" Legolas asked repulsively.

"I'm good at being the right person for the job. But now, with no one around, I can release myself." Oliner continued to lick his finger enthusiastically.

"So you realize your own insanity?" Legolas was becoming more and more revolted with the former Captain. He had _trusted_ this Elf.

"Not insanity, Legolas. No, it is not insane to crave the pleasure of hearing another's screams. Nor is it insane to enjoy watching blood flow from the wounds of someone who is completely at your mercy. It is perfectly sane, perfectly understandable. If anything, you are insane for not fully comprehending the thrill of causing another being agony," his words were laced with passion, love, for what he was saying. It made Legolas' stomach turn.

"Pe-channas _[Idiot]_! You are going to get yourself killed. Not only yourself, but innocent Elven lives! If you could only realize your own insanity, you could spare precious immortal life. Can you not see reason? You need help," Legolas tried to reason with the Captain. The Elf needed some serious help, but from the sound of his speech before, he was too far gone.

"You are the one in need of help, Prince Legolas. Dire help," he smiled sadistically before turning on his heel and strutting off. He stopped and turned around. "Naguk, watch them. If any escape, I will personally see to it that you face their punishment." He continued on his way and was soon out of site.

A small, wide orc walked towards them, snarling viciously. "You 'ear that, Elven filth? Try and escape and I'll make you pay dearly for it. I ain't takin' yer punishment." He positioned himself a few meters from the tree, sitting down with a loud grunt.

Legolas ignored the orc and turned to the other Elven warriors. "How do you fare?"

They looked shocked and frightened by their leader's betrayal. They had trusted the Captain with their lives, allowing him to guide their judgment and now he'd turned on them. "My Prince, we are injured but it is not too serious," one of them replied. "You, yourself are injured."

"Yes, but I will be okay. What are your names?" Legolas whispered, not wanting to attract unwanted attention.

"I am Helrin," the one who had spoken before introduced himself. "This is Laythil." He nodded to the Elf tied next to him. Legolas recognized Helrin as the Elf who had been limping before.

"And him?" Legolas thrust his head in the direction of the unconscious Elf.

"That is Raaen, hir nin _[my lord]_. He is in critical condition," Laythil said sympathetically.

"Please," Legolas said, "call me Legolas. You are all brave warriors, no matter what happens. I'm afraid Raaen's fate doesn't bode well, he needs urgent medical attention which will not be provided here."

They nodded solemnly. From their expressions, Legolas could tell that they didn't expect to live through this. "Have hope," he encouraged. That reminded him. _Estel! Oh, sweet Eru, let him be okay. I will never forgive myself if he is seriously hurt. _"How badly injured is Estel?"

"He has a small wound on his shoulder and, no doubt, a concussion." Laythil closed his eyes and rested his head against the ground. "We're going to die, aren't we?"

"No, not if we can help it. You must remain optimistic. Oliner is cocky, so hopefully he'll let his guard down at some point. We must remain alert for any opportunity, no matter how small," Legolas used a stern voice; he didn't want these Elves to give up.

The Elves nodded unenthusiastically before closing their eyes and resting their heads' against the ground. Indeed, they had no hope. It made Legolas' heart break slightly to see such proud creatures in this state.

All three Elves jolted their heads westerly as the squeals of an agonized animal reached their ears. The sounds continued before they were joined with the pained cries of orcs.

"What was that?" Laythil turned to Legolas for answers.

"It sounded like…_the horses_!" Legolas realized. "Those foul yrch are attacking them. By the orcs cries, I assume the horses are fighting back."

"Orcs truly are horrid creatures," Helrin said icily.

The sounds continued, frustrating the Elves because they could neither see nor do anything. Pounding hooves rang throughout the entire forest, and every so often a horse or orc would shriek in pain.

"Isn't it music to your ears?" Oliner had appeared out of nowhere, standing behind the captives.

"Why, Captain?" Laythil asked the Elf.

"Why, what? Why did I turn on you pitiful creatures? Power, dear Elf, power." Oliner smiled relaxingly as if he were enjoying a serene memory.

"Why kill the horses?" Legolas wouldn't look at the Captain; he wasn't worth his gaze in his opinion.

"They are stupid creatures who will just try and carry you to safety if you escape. I have to make sure, that _if _you escape, you will remain on foot," the Captain noticed Legolas' averted gaze. "Why do you not look at me, Princeling?"

Helrin immediately stood up for his Prince. "You address the Prince of Mirkwood as either 'Lord' or 'Prince'. No exceptions."

At Helrin's words, Oliner laughed boisterously. "Make me," he spat before moving towards Legolas.

The sadistic Elf crouched down next to Legolas. He reached out and grabbed the Prince's chin, wrenching his head towards him. Legolas looked at the Captain but kept his eyes on his chin, rather than meeting his gaze.

Oliner brushed his fingers ever so gently across Legolas' cheek bone, laughing when he shivered slightly at the touch. Despite the archer's desperate attempts to pull away, Oliner continued to stroke his face, almost lovingly. His eyes filled with pleasure as the Prince shied at the touch. He enjoyed the discomfort he was causing the other Elf.

"Amin delotha lle _[I hate you]_!" Legolas snapped, not regretting the use of such a strong word.

Oliner's eyes lit up. "Already? Wait until later on, that's when you'll realize how much you should hate me."

Legolas contemplated biting the Elf, but decided against it. He would not shame himself further. He set his jaw and locked his eyes on the Captain's. He didn't blink, didn't flinch, he just sat. Still as stone.

"Such spirit," Oliner whispered almost huskily. "So fun to break." He glanced over at the unconscious ranger. "You know, I've broken a human before. I've caused them so much pain that they snapped completely. You and Thranduil never found out, but I did, and it was an enjoyable experience. One I would like to try again some time."

"Don't. Touch. Him." Legolas barely moved his lips but each word was laced with poison, as if he could kill the captain with words alone.

Oliner released the Prince's jaw and stood. He gazed at the other two Elves who were giving him furious looks. He then bent down again so that his mouth was right next to Legolas' ear. The archer had to suppress a wince as the Captain's breath hit his sensitive appendage. "Watch me." And then he was gone.

"He will pay," Laythil spat, disgusted with the treatment of his Prince. Helrin nodded in agreement.

Legolas gazed at Aragorn. He sighed. Once again, they'd gotten into another life-threatening situation. It would be more absurd if they actually had a peaceful trip for once.

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**TBC**

**A/N: There's chapter 4! Now things are starting to get interesting *laughs evilly* Well, you know I love to hear your thoughts, so please review. Well, the next chapter will be up in a few days :) Hopefully. Again, I wish you all a very merry Christmas!!!**

**{Again, if you still see any mistakes feel free to let me know in a constructive manner!! Hannon lle}**


	5. Sick Satisfaction

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: Torture in this chapter. There's warning number three. Thanks to all my reviewers, you are awesome :) Here we go…**

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Chapter 5: Sick Satisfaction

Aragorn groaned as feeling returned to his limbs. His entire body ached. He felt his hands tied in front of him, he was on his stomach. He groaned again as he realized that he was obviously a prisoner of the orcs.

He opened his eyes slowly, wincing as his head pounded furiously. He saw grass, dirt, rocks and an Elf. He did a double-take but he was right. Next to him, on his back, lay an Elven warrior, his booted feet lay near Aragorn's head. Further inspection showed the Elf to have an arrow shaft protruding from his stomach, caked blood stuck around the wound. Besides the wounded Elf, three other bodies seemed to be lying down, asleep maybe?

Aragorn folded his legs under him and moved into a sitting position, now realizing that his hands were tied to a stake in the ground. He closed his eyes, trying to get his head to stop spinning.

"Estel!"

Aragorn turned and saw Legolas moving into an erect position as well. The Elf gazed at him, his eyes filled with concern and worry. "Mellon nîn," Aragorn murmured, glad to see his friend was okay. If you could call captured by orcs 'okay', that is.

"How do you feel?" Legolas asked nervously, fearing the answer. If Aragorn had sustained any serious injuries, he would never forgive himself.

"Fine."

Legolas raised an eyebrow. "You and I both know that 'fine' either means 'dying' or 'in excruciating agony'. So which is it?"

The human sighed. "My head throbs a little, but that is to be expected. Apart from that, I am fine."

Legolas still looked skeptical but let the matter rest. He didn't want to pester his friend. "Oliner."

Aragorn gave his friend a curious look. "What about him? Was he killed?"

Legolas laughed bitterly. "No, he is the traitor Aragorn. He is insane and sadistic. I am a fool for not seeing him for what he was before. Now he claims to have a plan to take control of Mirkwood."

Aragorn had to take a moment to absorb this new information. Finally, he said, "You are no fool Legolas. No one would have expected it to be your father's most trusted captain. Has he revealed why he has committed this atrocity?"

Legolas still kept his jaw set but responded, "He is working for someone under the alias of 'Sharkey'. This 'Sharkey' has offered him some sort of power to work with him. Oliner's current task is to seize control of Mirkwood and turn it into an orc nest."

The ranger shook his head. "I don't see how he would be able to take Mirkwood with so few orcs. A lot of them were killed in the battle last night, so he has even less. He is a fool to even try."

"Is that so, Lord Aragorn?"

Both Aragorn and Legolas' heads snapped in the direction of Oliner's voice. He was leaning against a tree behind them. A cruel smile contorted his face.

"Yes," the ranger replied flatly.

Oliner's grin widened and he stalked closer with deliberate slowness. "It is good to see you awake."

"Speak for yourself," Aragorn muttered. "Your face isn't exactly the best waking present."

Oliner pursed his lips. "Such hostility. Don't worry, I'll _teach_ you how to behave."

"You won't lay a finger on him!" Legolas ground out between clenched teeth.

"Don't worry Princeling, I haven't forgotten about you. Besides, who said anything about a _finger _being laid on him?" Oliner walked closer and crouched down next to Aragorn.

"Avo garo_ [Don't do it]_," Legolas warned, knowing that whatever the Captain had in mind wouldn't be good.

The Elf turned and smiled horribly at Legolas before turning back to Aragorn. "Watch, Princeling…"

Oliner moved around so that Legolas could see what he was doing, before lowering his head and wrapping his mouth around Aragorn's nose. The ranger looked horrified.

"Daro _[Stop]_!"Legolas ordered, thoroughly sickened by the Captain's actions.

"What are you doing?" Aragorn demanded.

Oliner smiled and then there was a sickening crunch as he bit down with all his Elven strength on Aragorn's nose. The ranger gasped as blood started to flow down his face.

"What have you done!?" Legolas thrashed against his bonds, determined to get to his friend.

"Broken his nose," Oliner grasped the human's broken body part lovingly. "It's okay, edan _[human],_ you can cry out." With that he squeezed the nose harshly, causing the ranger to wince and emit another gasp, but he did not utter a sound.

"You said you wouldn't lay a finger on him!" Legolas' wrists were now becoming raw as he threw his entire weight against the bonds.

"I lied," Oliner studied the human.

"Ce pen-inn _[You are insane]_," Legolas spat, glaring daggers at the Captain who only smiled.

"I thought that we agreed I wasn't?" He stood and made his way over to Legolas.

"I never agreed to anything. You are sick, twisted and insane. I thought there might be hope for you but I was wrong. You are beyond healing," Legolas laced his voice with every bit of contempt and hatred he could muster from what the Elf had done to Aragorn.

"Both of you, such spirit," he smiled. "That will not last long."

Legolas was growing impatient with Oliner's mocking. "What are you planning?" he asked.

"Ah, ah, not yet. That'll be a surprise," he shook his finger in a reprimanding manner.

"Surely, though, you must have thought out every possible scenario so that there will be no errors. You say that you do not want to use me as ransom, so then what?" Legolas pushed him, wanting an answer.

"I have thought out my plan completely, there will be no mistakes." Oliner glared at the Prince.

"You cannot know for sure. You could have overlooked something." Legolas looked over Oliner's shoulder to try and glimpse Aragorn. The human was pressing his nose into the sleeve of his shirt, trying to stem the flow of blood. He looked at Legolas and gave a small smile to show that he was okay.

Legolas still felt guilty for bringing the human into these circumstances. His selfishness might cost Estel his life! He shouldn't have dragged his best friend into this mess, no matter how much he wanted to spend time with him. He was a fool.

"Stupid Prince, I know that nothing can go wrong," Oliner sneered at his captive.

"Then, why not tell me?" The archer pressed.

"You will find out in due time," Oliner stood and turned back to Aragorn. "Your human friend may be more conversational, eh?"

Legolas glowered angrily at the Captain. As soon as the Elf had turned his back Legolas threw out his leg, much like he had the previous night, and tripped the Elf. Oliner turned on Legolas, snarling furiously. A few orcs approached cautiously, unsure if they should aid their leader or not.

"Foul Elf!" Oliner kicked out with his boot, hitting Legolas right in the jaw.

The Prince's head snapped back but he didn't give the captain the pleasure of a reaction. He just continued to glare at him icily.

"Leave him alone," Aragorn said, his voice thick due to the broken nose.

"Oh, would you look at this," Oliner rubbed his hands together. "You two are just so willing to protect each other. Tell me, Legolas, what makes you trust this human so?"

"He is a priceless friend and he has proven himself many times," Legolas glared at Aragorn, silently telling him to stay out of it. He didn't want the human sustaining anymore damage due to him.

Aragorn shook his head slightly; he wasn't going to let Legolas take all the punishment. They were both involved in this now, and they'd face it together.

"This is good," Oliner appeared to be talking to himself. "The Prince, he has a weakness, a human! Hah, he's weak because of a human. Yes, this is very good…"

"Not insane?" Legolas raised an eyebrow, unable to stop his rebellious tongue.

"What? No, we covered that, remember?" Oliner scowled darkly at the Prince.

"Well, you appear to be talking to yourself," Legolas smiled mockingly.

Oliner grabbed Legolas chin in his hand, reefing his head towards him. "You _will_ learn how to behave, Princeling. Be it the hard way or not." The Elf stood again and snapped his fingers, summoning two orcs.

"Yes?" One asked.

"I want you two to take this Elf here, and tie him to a tree so that his stomach faces the wood." Oliner turned to Aragorn. "You, human, can watch."

The orcs grabbed Legolas roughly around the arms and cut his bonds before dragging him to the tree. Legolas fought furiously, elbowing, kicking, tripping and the orcs were forced to hit him several times. They cursed every time one of Legolas' attacks connected with its intended target.

Aragorn pulled against his bindings, desperate to free himself. His wrists complained deeply but the ranger refused to watch this display without at least trying.

He watched as Legolas was repeatedly hit and tied to the tree so that his back was visible.

"Remove his tunic," Oliner ordered. He moved close to Legolas' ear. "Let's see how much it takes to make a Prince scream," he then moved behind Legolas as the orcs cut off the Prince's tunic. Legolas felt a small knot of fear contort his stomach but he wouldn't let them know that. He wouldn't let them have the pleasure.

Legolas turned his head as much as he could, locking his gaze with Aragorn's. He shook his head, his eyes pleading Aragorn not to do something stupid. He wanted Aragorn to remain still, to let this happen without intervention. He didn't want the human to suffer for him. He shouldn't have brought him…

Almost instantly a sharp pain shot through Legolas' back causing him to gasp softly. He wasn't sure what had attacked his back but it had hurt horribly. The wound was still on fire. He had expected a whip, but there was no crack to give him a warning, just silence. It struck again and he winced as his back pained furiously.

"You can scream," Oliner whispered by his ear as he continued to lacerate his back again.

"W-what are you doing?" Legolas gasped as he tried to double over in pain, only to hit the tree.

Oliner smiled and repeated the action, satisfied when Legolas moaned softly. It was too soft for anyone other than an Elf to pick up.

Aragorn's eyes widened as he saw Oliner cut into Legolas' back with a falchion. He was only cutting ever so shallowly into the skin, pulling off very thin layers of flesh. Aragorn felt like dry reaching, he was watching someone lightly skin his best friend.

Legolas suppressed a louder moan as his back burnt again. It was agony; it felt like his back was being ripped apart by a wild animal whilst he was still alive. He felt like screaming but he resisted, knowing that that was what Oliner wanted.

The orcs surrounding them jeered and grunted, enjoying the Elf's pain. The horrid creatures were practically drooling with the lust they possessed for watching others suffer.

Oliner smirked as he ran the falchion down Legolas' back again, peeling off the thinnest layer of skin. He noticed that the Prince had set his jaw, refusing to make a noise. Even the gasps had stopped. The Elf was denying him the one thing he wanted. He moved his head so that he could see into Legolas' eyes.

The sapphire orbs met his, full of hate, defiance, contempt, disgust and there! The tiniest trace of fear, ever so small. Oliner smiled thankfully, so the Prince was afraid of what was going to happen to him, no matter how well he hid it.

He brought the blade down again, watching the archer's face intently for the emotion's that Legolas was experiencing. As the blade made contact Legolas bit down visibly, clenching his teeth and his eyes flashed with pain.

"Why do you resist?" Oliner purred.

Legolas didn't open his mouth for fear of losing control of his emotions. He wanted to scream at Oliner, thrash him for what he was doing. He also wanted to writhe in pain as wind bit against his back, followed by more pain lancing through his entire torso. He still had no clue what Oliner was doing to him.

"The silent treatment, eh?" Oliner stopped the falchion in mid-strike.

He saw how Legolas' arms were tied around the tree, hugging it. The Elf's left arm was turned upwards slightly, preventing further injury to the arrow wound. The shaft was still deeply embedded in the flesh. He made towards the arm.

Legolas released his breath as Oliner moved away from his back, ceasing the cruel treatment, but quickly caught it again when he saw that the Captain was heading for his arm. _Sweet Eru, what is he going to do now?_

Oliner reached out and grabbed the arrow shaft, giving it a minute jerk. The miniscule movement was enough to cause Legolas to bite his lip harshly. Blood dribbled down his chin. The Captain smiled as he realized how much the wound must hurt.

He jerked the shaft again, inhaling deeply when Legolas grimaced slightly. He pulled harder, but the movement was still small. Legolas gasped loudly, closing his eyes tightly at his humiliation. Oliner smiled, he was enjoying every second of this.

This time the Captain tried pressing on the arrow slightly, moving it further into the flesh. Legolas released a small moan and writhe of pain. He couldn't think of a single word that would describe the pain efficiently. His back still throbbed violently, and his arm felt like it was burning, continuously burning without pause. It just kept intensifying.

"We're getting there," the Captain whispered excitedly.

Legolas glared at the Elf furiously. "You will meet your end," he spat out between clenched teeth.

"Maybe," he moved the arrow harshly, putting more weight on the action. Legolas moaned again, louder this time. The orcs heard and cheered enthusiastically. "Maybe not."

"Leave him be!" Aragorn yelled, unable to stand it any longer. He could not sit idly by and watch this happen, no matter what Legolas wished him to do.

"Estel, stay out of this!" Legolas yelled back, receiving a slap from Oliner.

"Human, why do you stand up for this Elf?" Oliner remained next to Legolas, his hand still grasping the arrow shaft.

"He is my friend," the ranger whispered, knowing the Elf would hear him.

"That may be so, but is he worth dying for? When you came on this mission, you knew that you could very well die. Why was he worth that?" Oliner jiggled the shaft a little, reveling in Legolas' moan.

"You will never know what it is like to have a true friend! You cannot hope to understand," Aragorn winced in sympathy as his friend moaned.

"I hope you're enjoying the show," Oliner grinned at the human wickedly.

"Do you not have a plan to execute? Why waste time with this madness?" Aragorn pressed, trying to stall him further. Oliner was still grasping the arrow shaft but if he could keep the Elf's attention, hopefully he'd soon forget about it. He didn't look at Legolas, knowing that the Elf was glaring at him.

"I can't commence with it yet," the Elf sighed. "Legolas needs to be missing for, say, two or three days. We've got some time together."

"King Thranduil will not take you respectably if you have tortured his son," the ranger warned.

"By the time he finds out what I've done to Legolas, he will be joining him. It is inevitable, his love is too strong." Oliner sighed, growing bored with the conversation.

"You said I was not going to be used as ransom," Legolas ground out.

"You aren't princeling." He pulled the arrow, drawing it out of the skin ever so slightly. Legolas let out a small cry of pain, cutting it off as quickly as it had come. "My plans will be revealed in due time, you just need to be patient."

Legolas sighed shakily. Oliner was like a stone, unwilling to listen to reason. He was too confident in his plans, a mistake in itself. He knew that even if Oliner tried to repent himself now, it would not work. He was mad, and there was no going back.

"Had enough?" The Captain drawled, looking at Legolas' face intently.

The Prince looked at Oliner, not blinking or averting his gaze. He didn't say a word, only gathered all the saliva in his mouth and spat it at the Elf furiously. The glob of spit hit the Captain in the eye.

Oliner snarled like a wild beast, rubbing his eye harshly. "You little-!" He grabbed the arrow shaft and ripped it out harshly, pulling it from the skin in the blink of an eye. Legolas cried out suddenly, loud enough for the entire orc group to hear.

The cry was longer than Legolas liked. He lacked the self-control to focus over the pain and silence the sound of agony. He could tell that Oliner would only be encouraged by the noise but he was powerless to cut it off.

"That hurt, didn't it?" Oliner appeared to be thriving in the sound of agony that had tore itself from Legolas' throat only seconds ago. Yet, that wasn't enough. The sound was louder but still not a scream. He had to admit, the Elf was strong.

"What do you think?' The archer spat venomously, gasping for air.

"I think we're getting close to a scream," the traitor smiled viciously, enjoying the situation too much.

"Posto dan_ [Stop that]_," Aragorn pleaded desperately. His friend's pain was tearing him up inside, he felt like killing Oliner right there and then. He couldn't stand the taunting of Legolas and the noises he was making. How dare they lay a hand on his friend!

The Captain pretended to consider it. He cupped his chin and stared off vaguely, as if seriously contemplating the human's words. "No, I don't think I will."

"Saes _[Please]_," Aragorn continued to beg. He would never beg anyone if it was concerning his own welfare, but he would for Legolas. He'd do anything for the Prince of Mirkwood.

"Estel, avo bedo _[Don't speak]_," Legolas commanded the ranger. He did not want Aragorn to suffer for him, he would rather die. He already felt guilty; he didn't want to feel wretched. He would prevent his friend from getting hurt no matter what the cost.

"I cannot watch this happen," Aragorn begged his friend.

"Do it, for me. I cannot watch you hurt either. Saes, mellon nîn," the Prince sighed again as weariness started to catch up with him.

Aragorn bit his lip. He didn't want to upset Legolas, but he didn't want to watch this horror continue. He wanted to take his place, to take the Elf's pain for him, but he knew that Legolas would feel ashamed and guilty. He didn't know what to do. Oliner interrupted before he could speak again.

"Touching," he mocked. "Sorry, human, but I'm not done with the Elf yet. He still has to scream." He rubbed Legolas' cheek affectionately, causing the Prince to flinch. He laughed.

Legolas looked at the sadistic Elf with defiance. He would remain strong, not let Oliner see how much pain he was really in. He still wasn't sure what had happened to his back, but it was lowering to a dull throb. Hopefully, his superior Elven healing would make quick work of it.

As Legolas stared at the Captain, Oliner reached an arm around the Elf and stuck his nail into one of the wounds on his back. Only a minute layer of skin had been removed, but it was now extremely delicate. Legolas gasped.

"Release yourself, Prince," the Captain ran his nail down the entire length of the wound, marveling in Legolas' shiver and groan. Oliner smiled evilly and repeated the action on another laceration, pressing harder. Legolas moaned loudly, arching his back. Oliner didn't remove his finger, only dug it into the wound with immense force.

Legolas moaned again. The pain was intense. He felt Oliner's finger digging into one of the wounds on his back. He tried to get away from the hand, but was only halted by the tree again. His arm trickled blood, throbbing slightly but the pain in his back was getting worse. Oliner wasn't removing his finger, only pressing harder, causing the agony to blaze like a fire. He felt his self-control slipping.

Legolas' cries of pain had awoken Laythil and Helrin. They stared at the scene in front of them, eyes disbelieving. "Oliner, unhand the prince!" Laythil shouted.

"Oh, you're awake? Good," Oliner smiled at them before rubbing all four of his fingers down one of the wounds on Legolas' back. The Prince cried out loudly.

"We mean it!" Helrin warned. "Keep at least some dignity for yourself."

"Dignity?" The Captain laughed. "What use is dignity when I have power? Now, don't make me silence you."

"Sir," an orc approached Oliner. "We can take care of those Elves. Surely you don't need them as well?" It was easy to tell that the orc was anxious to fulfill its bloodlust. Watching was simply not enough for the crude beings.

Oliner looked as if he was about to backhand the orc who cowered. He ceased in mid-strike and smiled evilly. "Yes, take that one," he pointed to Helrin. "I want you to make sure he has fun. If he dies, well, that's a risk I'm willing to take."

The orcs cheered, knowing that they were being given permission to slay the Elf. At their own pace, of course. They surged forward and untied Helrin, dragging him off to another tree. They merged around him, blocking off Laythil, Aragorn and Legolas' sight of him. Only two or three orcs remained to watch the suffering of Legolas.

"Leave him be," Legolas said. He didn't want to hear the other Elf scream in pain as the orcs slowly murdered him cruelly. He couldn't help but feel responsible for the Elven warrior's death.

"No," Oliner replied happily before calling an orc over to him. "You have claws. Scratch that wound right there," he gestured to a long cut across Legolas right shoulder blade.

Legolas arched his back and cried out sharply. That had hurt terribly. He felt the orcs claws scraping down the tender wound. He gasped for air but soon cried out again as the orc repeated its action. He tried to hold his tongue, for Aragorn's sake but he couldn't. The pain was too much.

Aragorn felt a tear slide down his cheek as Legolas' cries of pain intensified. He was powerless to stop it. There was not a thing he could do but sit and watch. Over to the side the orcs continued to maul Helrin. From the noises emanating from the tight circle, Aragorn guessed they had a whip. There would be a loud 'crack' followed by a small cry of pain. Laythil had his eyes closed tightly, Helrin was his friend.

"Laythil…" The human felt sympathy for him.

"It is okay, Estel. We both knew that dying was a possible risk on this journey. We understand." Laythil kept his eyes closed and rested his head against the ground.

Aragorn smiled sadly at the Elf. He looked back at Legolas who was now shaking with pain. The orc was dragging his claws down the wound incredibly slow, drawing out the agony. He saw Legolas' jaw stiffen considerably, trying to hold back the noise of pain building in his chest. His efforts were in vain, as soon the Elf's lips parted involuntarily, releasing an agonized scream.

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**TBC**

**A/N: Ooooh, that was rather…dark, wasn't it? I did warn you. You know you like it... ;) Well, I'll ****try**** and have the next chapter up on Wednesday. Please review, you'll make me happy :) **

**{Again, if you still see any mistakes feel free to let me know in a constructive manner!! Hannon lle}**


	6. Is Hope Enough?

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: More sadistic fun in this chapter. Thank you, thank you, and thank you to everyone who has reviewed my story so far, you've encouraged me to do my best!!**

* * *

Chapter 6: Is Hope Enough?

Aragorn was screaming. He wasn't sure what he was saying, but he knew that it was originating from the pain and rage inside of him that had been brought to life when Legolas had screamed in pain. He continuously threw curses at Oliner, not caring how he was punished for it.

He had heard that scream, so full of agony and hopelessness, as if it had been his own. The monster of a Captain had pained Legolas so much that he had to release his agony through such a noise. Aragorn was beyond hysterical.

Oliner grinned happily at Legolas, who shook horribly. He had made the Elf Prince scream, he was thrilled beyond words. "There, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

Legolas could only close his eyes. He felt disgraced, angry and pained. He couldn't meet the Captain's eyes, for fear of the deranged Elf seeing his emotions. His breath came in hurried gasps, sweat covered his body. He knew he was incredibly weary, he wasn't even sure that his legs would support him when he was untied from the tree.

Oliner bent down close so that he was right next to Legolas' ear. "Can you scream again? Do it for me."

Legolas shook his head, eyes still closed. "Go away."

The Captain chuckled darkly. He knew that the Prince was shamed by the scream, and that filled him with a priceless joy that couldn't be explained with words. "You're completely at my mercy."

Legolas couldn't suppress the shiver that shook his frame as Oliner muttered those words. He knew that the Captain wouldn't stop until he was ready, and all he could do was wait. Wait, and be strong.

Oliner lifted a slim hand to the Prince's head. Legolas' golden hair was still, miraculously, held back by the braids, only one or two stray hairs out of place. The Captain grinned as he ran his long fingers gently across the point of Legolas' ear. The archer shivered violently and tensed, only adding to Oliner's amusement.

"As an Elf," he whispered, "I completely understand just how sensitive our ears can be." He grabbed the point between two of his fingers, squeezing harshly and digging his relatively long nails into the soft flesh. Legolas wriggled slightly under the hold.

The Prince knew that his ear was extremely sensitive to the touch. He didn't even want to imagine the cruel, sadistic things Oliner could do with his ear. He set his jaw, closed his eyes and willed the tiny bit of self-restraint he had left to keep him from breaking down under whatever Oliner had planned.

Oliner moved his mouth closer to the ear and licked the point enjoyably, as if it were the rarest food in middle-earth. Legolas clamped his eyes shut and tried to stay still. He could feel the other Elf's tongue tracing the point of his ear, moving around it slowly just to make him uncomfortable. It was working, Legolas felt as if he might scream again. He'd never had his ear _licked_ before.

The Captain smiled, he knew that Legolas was fighting incredibly hard to remain immobile. It was time to move it up a notch; he bit down on the point of the Prince's ear. He used enough strength to break the skin and draw blood, which he lapped up hungrily.

Legolas groaned as he shivered uncontrollably. Oliner had _bitten_ his ear, and now he was licking the dribbling blood. He couldn't think of a word to describe how disgusted he was at the Elf, or how badly his ear was hurting. It felt like it had been ripped off and stuck back on with an arrow, it made him dry reach. Oliner laughed and continued to caress the Prince's bleeding ear with his tongue, rubbing it into every fold of the pointed body part.

Aragorn felt his chin hit the ground as it looked like Oliner was trying to _eat_ Legolas' ear. He saw the Elf bite down, and now it looked like he was sucking at something. It was absolutely disgusting, something that would make a troll do a double-take. He felt like screaming at Oliner again but his throat was dry, devoid of saliva and all he could do was watch as his friend's ear was treated like a morsel.

"Stop," Legolas hissed as Oliner bit his ear again in the same place, causing more blood to seep from the wound. Legolas felt a wave of nausea jolt through his body, making him tremble again. This treatment was affecting him violently; he felt sick, repulsed, hurt and a small amount of fear. Oliner's actions on his ear were getting to him.

"But I'm having so much fun," the Captain whispered back. The words were slightly muffled since he was once again sucking at the blood.

"You…are…sick," Legolas groaned each word.

"Yes," Oliner gasped. "You have no idea."

Legolas felt a tear fall down his cheek as the Elf continued to suck his ear. The Captain was so mad that he was a threat to himself. He was a threat to everything, he had to be stopped.

Oliner saw the tear and stopped, straightening again. "Why, Princeling, you appear to have something in your eye." He brushed his thumb across Legolas' cheek, removing the droplet of water lovingly. "There…"

"Ego _[Get]_!" Legolas screamed, using all the air in his lungs to shout that one word. Oliner only laughed and nodded, pleased by what he had done.

"Untie him and take him back to the others," Oliner said, glee lacing his voice. He was overjoyed by the Prince's torment.

The orc cut the ropes and pushed Legolas towards Aragorn, Laythil and Raaen. Legolas found walking very hard, each step was agony on his traumatized body. He eventually reached the stake and the orc tied him down, stalking off to watch the torment of Helrin.

"Manen cerich _[How are you doing]_?" Aragorn struggled to get to his friend. He wanted to inspect Legolas properly but was restrained by the ropes. His wrists trickled blood slightly from where he'd been struggling to assist Legolas earlier.

"Boe i poston _[I need to rest]_," Legolas gasped, barely audible. He avoided the ranger's eyes, ashamed by what had happened.

"It is okay, Legolas. Have hope," the human tried to comfort his friend as best he could from afar.

"Ú-gerin estel _[I have no hope]_," the Elf whispered, laying his head against the ground and allowing his eyes to glaze over. Aragorn recognized the waking sleep of the Elves.

The ranger sighed. It broke his heart to hear Legolas utter those words, more than he thought possible. If Legolas had no hope, it would make matters worse. They needed to escape, not despair. Hopefully, Legolas would feel better when he awoke.

"He has been through a lot," Laythil whispered as Helrin's scream tore through the air.

"Indeed, he has. Do you think they will kill Helrin?" Aragorn glared at the orcs distastefully.

"Yes…" The Elf whispered sadly.

Oliner walked over to the captives, noting their miserable mood. "Why so sad?"

"Why do you think?" Aragorn spat. "You torture Legolas, and now you are making us endure hearing Helrin die. You are a monster."

The Captain sighed. "You're rather hostile. What about you Laythil? What are your thoughts on the issue?"

Laythil glared at his former Captain with hate and revolt. "I can't believe I used to take orders from you. You are sick, insane and twisted. There is no redemption for creatures like you."

"Harsh," Oliner shook his head sadly. "Boys, make sure you kill him nice and slow," he called to the orcs, watching Aragorn and Laythil's expressions.

Laythil paled considerably, a single tear falling down his cheek. Aragorn cast his eyes down and donned a look of despair. Oliner smiled at their expressions, reveling in their hopelessness.

"You're boring," Oliner muttered. "I can't execute my plan until at least tomorrow, so what do you want to do until then?"

Laythil rested his head against the ground and cried silent tears for his friends and Prince. Aragorn glared at the Captain, hating him more and more with every word he spoke.

"Glare at me all you want, human, you're at my mercy. I'll be doing what I like and there's not a thing you can do about it." Oliner approached the human and squatted down beside him. He reached out a hand and squeezed the broken nose. Aragorn gasped.

"See? Completely at my mercy," Oliner grinned as he rotated the nose, Aragorn releasing a moan. "Not a thing you can do about it." He pulled on the nose roughly, reveling in the human's groan.

"Le orch 'waur _[You are a dirty orc]_," the ranger spat through the blood leaking from his nose.

"No, I'm an Elf. Pronounce it slowly. E-L-F," Oliner mocked.

Aragorn sighed and tried to shift his position so that he was not facing the crazy Elf but Oliner stopped him by placing his hands on his shoulders.

"What's the matter? Don't feel like talking?" Oliner asked with mock hurt.

"Not with you," Aragorn spat.

"Again with the hostility. When will you learn to be courteous? I'm sure Lord Elrond would be appalled." He seemed to think about what he had just said. "Oh well, it's not like you'll ever see him again," the Elf laughed.

"We'll see," the human replied absently, trying to block the Captain out.

"Oh, we will, will we? That hope you possess is rather spectacular, yet it is a fool's hope. There is no way you are getting out of this alive, so stop trying to convince yourself. You will die screaming in this forest, where neither Lord Elrond nor Rivendell will be able to locate you. They'll never know what happened," Oliner rubbed his hands together, inhaling the scent of blood and dirt that hung in the air.

"We'll see," the ranger repeated, trying his best to ignore the Elf. His face remained unreadable.

"Do you lack communication skills? Why do you not speak your feelings? I can tell that you are troubled, human," the Elf adopted his best sympathetic voice but it was still laced with sarcasm.

"Do not pretend to care; all you want is a weakness to pick at. My feelings shall remain my own," Aragorn locked his jaw and refused to speak further.

"Have it your way. I would hate to pressure you," Oliner smirked. He reached forward and grabbed Aragorn's bound hands, swiftly cutting the rope and reefing him to his feet. "Let's spend some quality time together, get to know one another better."

As soon as his feet were stable, Aragorn swung out his leg, aiming it for the back of Oliner's knee. The Elf reacted quickly, moving out of the way and slamming his fist into the human's already smarting nose. Aragorn moaned and his hands immediately went to his face, allowing Oliner to move in and grab him again.

"No more of that," the Elf snickered before grabbing the ranger's wrists and dragging him over to the group of orcs that were still gathered around Helrin.

As they approached Aragorn saw that Helrin was just a crumpled, bloodied heap on the ground. He wasn't moving, yet the orcs continued to beat him furiously. A loud 'crack' resounded as an orc boot connected with an already cracked rib, breaking it.

Aragorn gaped at the scene. He couldn't believe the orcs continued to beat the prone Elf; he would surely die if they continued their tirade. Oliner only chuckled at the ranger's reaction. "Avo 'osto _[Don't be afraid]_," he purred sadistically.

The human closed his eyes in respect for Helrin, before snapping them open and glaring at Oliner furiously. He found every bit of anger, pain, disgust, hate and contempt he had within himself and hurled it at the Elf through his eyes.

Oliner stared back into the silver orbs amusedly. So many emotions were being conveyed through the human's eyes, a fire alight within them that made the Elf want to cower. Their power was amazing, almost hypnotizing. He reigned in his own emotions and stared back at Aragorn coolly.

"Shall we proceed?" The Elf guided Aragorn over to Helrin and tied him to the nearest tree so that he was facing the Elf, his back to the bark. His hands were incredibly strained around the massive trunk. Oliner grinned. "The perfect view."

Helrin was unmoving and even his chest was barely rising and falling. He would appear dead to anyone who was less observant. His blonde hair was splayed out on the ground, caked with blood and filth. Even so, the Elf still appeared disbelievingly beautiful. Bruises covered the Elf's cheekbones and forehead, marring the flawless skin. Aragorn guessed that larger and uglier bruises covered the rest of the Elf, which was not visible.

"Not long left now. His body is breaking," Oliner watched gleefully as an orc made a cut down the Elf's cheek with a rusty dagger, drawing blood.

"Sen gwaur _[This is foul]_," Aragorn growled at the Captain, repulsed by his words.

"To you, maybe, but to me it is true beauty. Besides, I need to find something to keep the orcs happy. They'd go rampant otherwise." Oliner grabbed Aragorn's chin. "You'll watch as I drive my sword through his heart. Now, how does that make you feel?"

"You will die. Be it by my hand or not, your sorry existence will end." Aragorn closed his eyes to block out the view of the proud Elven warrior, now beaten and bloodied.

"You're not the most conversational of people are you?" Oliner drawled. "Oh well, I do not need your conversation, only your screams." Before Aragorn could react Oliner grasped his right shoulder and pulled him forward.

Aragorn felt his hands scream as they were pulled against the rope. They were tied behind the tree and had hardly any space to give; they were pulled to their limits. Oliner grinned and pulled the human forward, straining his shoulder. His arm was pulled taut, his joint groaning in protest as Oliner jolted it forward, further and further.

Aragorn gasped as his shoulder was pulled harder; the Elf was using all his strength. He felt the joint of his arm starting to dislocate and moaned, he knew what was about to happen, it was inevitable.

Within seconds a loud 'pop' rang through the forest, followed seconds later by an ear-piercing scream. Aragorn closed his mouth to cut the scream off but continued to gasp as his arm throbbed. It was on fire, burning him alive. Oliner's laughter broke through the pain.

"Yes, a scream. You are cooperative, aren't you? How about another one?" Oliner pulled on the dislocated shoulder, twisting it sharply. Aragorn screamed again.

"Don't touch me," the ranger gasped, humiliated by the situation.

The Elf sighed. "When will you stop trying to give me orders?" He pulled on the shoulder again but this time Aragorn bit his lip and managed to suppress the scream that was building in his chest. Oliner scowled. "Why are you trying to ruin my game, human?"

"G-game?" Aragorn groaned. "This is a sick, twisted fetish that you possess. I will not give you what you want willingly." He moaned in white-hot agony as Oliner nudged his arm. Pain lanced through his entire body as the bone brushed against the socket, the socket it was supposed to be connected to. He gasped again as his arm returned to its limp position against the tree.

"Well then we'll do it the hard way," Oliner grasped the shoulder and thrust it forward harshly, resulting in a cry of pain from the ranger.

"Leave him!"

Oliner turned in the direction of the sound. The voice was full of authority and rage; he already knew who it was. Sure enough, he saw Legolas sitting upright, glaring at him through furious blue eyes. "Ah, Princeling, you are awake so soon. That is good."

"Unhand him at once!" Legolas stormed. He saw how Aragorn's arm hung in an odd position, it was dislocated. He winced, it was his fault. Estel had come to visit him, and now he was going to be responsible for his death. There was no excuse; he was a fool, a stupid, stupid fool.

"No," Oliner smirked before twisting the human's arm again, making him cry out.

"Oliner, surely you must feel some compassion. Please, let him go," Legolas begged, ignoring his pride. He was as willing to beg for Aragorn as the ranger was for him.

"What's this? The Prince of Mirkwood _begging_?" He snorted, a crude sound coming from an Elf.

Legolas swallowed deeply. "Please stop hurting him. Please…"

"Mellon nîn, avo _[don't]_," Aragorn said over the pain in his arm and his dimmed vision. He didn't want Legolas to get in trouble for him. He could've laughed; he'd been doing the same thing only moments ago.

"You two are amazing," Oliner chuckled. "Such a strong bond between edhel and edan. It's truly unique."

Oliner turned to Gorlag. "Bind the human with the Elves." The orc nodded and untied Aragorn. As he dragged the ranger to the other captives, he kept a strong hold on the ranger's dislocated shoulder, to prevent him from trying to escape. Aragorn hissed in pain with every step.

"Estel," Legolas looked at his friend, concern radiating from his eyes.

"I'm fine, mellon nîn," Aragorn gasped as his arm was tied in front of him. He would have to remain uncomfortable if he wished to avoid causing his arm further pain.

"We both know what 'fine' means," Legolas said, his voice low.

A loud cry drew their attention to Helrin. Legolas gasped when he saw the state the warrior was in. Oliner stood over him, pointing his sword at the Elf's chest. "Don't!" Legolas, Aragorn and Laythil all whispered in unison.

Oliner smiled wickedly before plunging his sword into the Elf's chest. Helrin gave a strangled cry which soon faded and the Elf remained lifeless. Legolas, Aragorn and Laythil watched in horror as Helrin's empty eyes glazed over and Oliner reefed his sword out of the corpse, smiling hugely. The orcs smiled grimly, only slightly irked by the death of their play-toy. They were being denied their fun by the Elf's unconsciousness so they saw no loss in the warrior's death.

"Úan _[Monster]_!" Legolas spat.

"Lle um _[You are evil]_!" Laythil screamed, anger in his eyes that would make a troll cower.

Aragorn only gaped at the Captain. He wanted to kill the Elf, wring his neck until the life in his eyes went out. It surprised him, he'd never felt the urge to kill an Elf before, never. He was revolted at the feeling, it was wrong.

Oliner laughed maniacally, enjoying the despair he'd caused. "Looks like you have some meat to eat tonight," he said to the orcs who grinned wildly.

Laythil dry-reached at those words, unable to believe that the orcs were going to eat his friend. Legolas and Aragorn looked at the Elf sympathetically.

The orcs carried Helrin away, talking about getting a fire started. Oliner laughed at Laythil, who was crying silently, before following the orcs. They moved away but still sat close, keeping an eye on the captives.

Legolas looked up at the dark sky, surprised by how little the lighting had changed. The thick canopy had prevented much sunlight from reaching the forest floor, but now slices of black could be gleamed, showing that it was now completely dark.

"He plans to execute his plan tomorrow night," Aragorn told Legolas, trying to change the subject.

"Then we must think of a way to escape," Legolas' eyes glowed fiercely in the dark.

"So you have found your hope, mellon nîn?" The ranger sounded hopeful.

"Indeed, Strider. It was there, just hidden beneath the pain. I never really lost it."

Aragorn smiled. Now that Legolas was willing, they would be able to construct a plan of escape. It would help them if they knew what Oliner was planning, so that they didn't accidently make a painful mistake.

"How are your wounds?" Legolas asked.

"They are fi-"

"Do not say 'fine' mellon nîn, I know that is not true. How are your wounds?" Legolas used all the authority he could muster.

Aragorn sighed in defeat. "My head has stopped throbbing but my arm is on fire. It will need to be put back in its place soon or it will be too late. How about you?"

Legolas scowled at the change of subject. "I am feeling better. My back is still tender and my arm has stopped bleeding. I guess we should be thankful for the small things." Legolas was indeed grateful that his back had stopped feeling like it was on fire. It allowed him to think clearly.

"Very small things," Aragorn sighed. "What about your ear?"

Legolas averted his gaze and shook his head. Aragorn realized that the Elf didn't want to talk about it.

The Prince distracted himself by looking to Laythil who had his head bowed and was crying silently. "You were great friends." It was not a question. "I'm sorry, Laythil. E gwannant vae _[He died well]_."

Laythil nodded thankfully. "How do you feel?"

"Better," Legolas replied. "But now I believe that we should all get some sleep. This past day has been rather unfriendly."

"Ta thann _[That is true]_," Laythil smiled shortly before resting his head on the ground and drifting off into the Elven sleep.

"Ni nûr hon _[I am sad for him]_," Aragorn sighed as the Elf drifted to sleep.

Legolas smiled sadly at the ranger. "How is Raaen doing?"

"I cannot tell exactly without inspecting him but his wound appears to be trying to heal with the arrow shaft still embedded. That is not good. He needs a healer, I'm not sure if he will regain consciousness anytime soon. That is up to him," the ranger said, glancing sadly at the unconscious Elf.

"I hope he wakes up soon, it will be difficult to escape with an unconscious Elf," Legolas noted regretfully. He wasn't going to leave the Elf behind, even if it meant lowering their chances of escape.

"Indeed," Aragorn yawned.

"Get some sleep, mellon nîn. Hopefully things will look better in the morning." Legolas laid his head on the grass and allowed sleep to take him.

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Legolas was kicked awake by a rough orc boot. "Get up, scum!"

He refocused his eyes and glared at the orc, wishing he had a strung bow in his hand to wipe the foul smile off of its foul face.

Legolas looked around and was surprised to see that it was at least midday. They had been allowed to sleep longer than he'd thought. That was not good; they now had no time to devise a way to escape. He cursed himself inwardly for his weariness, he should have woken sooner. He looked across to see Aragorn and Laythil being awakened in much the same manner.

Oliner stalked over towards the grumbling captives. "It's about time."

"Did we keep you?" Legolas drawled.

"No, if anything, at least you weren't being a nuisance." Oliner smiled. "I'm just about to head for Mirkwood."

"Why?" Legolas asked, suddenly serious. They were too late.

"To commence with my plan. You get to stay here, with ten orcs. Doesn't that make you happy?"

Legolas scowled. "Why only ten?"

"Because that is all that is needed," Oliner grinned before grabbing a dagger from the folds of his tunic. He smiled when Legolas flinched instinctively. "Do not worry, Princeling, it is not meant for you."

Legolas frowned as Oliner starting cutting tears in his own tunic and flesh. Blood started to drip to the ground. Oliner appeared to not even notice the pain. By the end, he looked the worse for wear.

"What are you doing?" Aragorn asked.

"Making myself presentable," Oliner grinned. "Now, I must head for Mirkwood."

"Don't," Legolas warned. He knew that the Elf was going to trick his father somehow.

"Sorry, Princeling, but don't worry, you'll have ten orcs for company." He grinned before turning to walk into the trees.

"Where will the other orcs be?" Laythil asked.

"Waiting," he whispered and then he was gone.

Legolas groaned. He did not like not knowing what was going on. He knew Mirkwood and his father were in danger, and he was powerless to do anything. Aragorn whispered comforting words but the Prince only sighed. Maybe luck had finally abandoned them…

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**TBC**

**A/N: Chapter six!! Yay! REVIEW, please, please, please!! Well, chapter seven should be up in a few days, maybe Saturday. Saturday's the estimate. Hmmmm. Until then…….. :) **

**{Again, if you still see any mistakes feel free to let me know in a constructive manner!! Hannon lle}**


	7. Commencement

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers!! I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but when I was writing it, it seemed like the best place to leave it. You'll see why…**

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Chapter Seven: Commencement

Oliner smiled as the sun finally set. He needed it to be nighttime for this to be more believable. He needed to make out that he had been tracking orcs all day, wearing himself out. Nothing could go wrong. At least, that's what he kept telling himself.

He snuck down the tree and started stumbling along the ground. He limped slightly and pretended to be gasping. He didn't want to appear too tired, but he needed to look as if he had been fighting.

He continued to stumble along, and soon a group of Elves appeared, weapons drawn. It was one of the patrols. Oliner hid a smile. "Help," he muttered.

"Captain Oliner?" One of the Elves stepped forward.

"Yes," Oliner whispered. "I…need to see…the King."

"Yes sir," the Elf nodded. He signaled to two Elves to move forward and support the Captain. Oliner smiled wickedly as they moved towards the Elven city.

"How badly are you injured, Captain?" The same Elf asked. He seemed to be in charge of the patrol.

"Not too bad, just…exhausted," Oliner replied weakly.

The two Elves that had Oliner's shoulders draped over their necks' increased their pace, eager to get the Captain to the King. "Where is Prince Legolas?" The patrol leader asked hesitantly.

"That is what…I need to see…the King about." Oliner said.

The patrol leader nodded and called another Elf over to him. "Run ahead and alert King Thranduil to our approach. Be swift." The addressed Elf nodded and ran, quick as wind through the forest.

"How far?" Oliner asked, adopting a weary tone.

"It is a matter of minutes," the patrol leader answered.

They continued for the city at a relatively fast pace. Oliner pretended to need the two Elves' support, so they were not as fast as they could have been. That, however, didn't stop them from reaching the gate a few moments later.

They entered the Elven city and saw King Thranduil heading towards them. Worry and concern was etched into every detail of his fair face. "What happened?"

"We were on patrol when Captain Oliner stumbled through the brush. He is exhausted, hir nîn, and he says he has news of your son," the leader answered formerly before bowing deeply and leading his group of Elves away.

"Captain," Thranduil addressed the Elf. "What has happened to Legolas?"

Oliner swallowed deeply. "My King…he was captured."

"What!?" Thranduil thundered.

"My lord," Oliner looked reproachfully at the King, "I-I thought it best to come back and inform you. The warriors were slaughtered my lord, their throats slit in the middle of the night. The orcs were few, no more than thirty themselves. They killed all the Elven warriors and Estel; they took Legolas alive. There are no more than ten of the foul brutes still breathing."

The Elf King shook his head. "My son, held captive by ten yrch. Are you sure there is only ten?"

Oliner nodded. "I followed them; they have not gotten far, my King. I wanted to come back here so that you could organize a rescue."

"Yes," Thranduil instructed. "I will take twenty Elves and retrieve my son."

Oliner smiled sadly. It took a lot of self-control to keep his emotions in check. _Only twenty! The King truly was a fool. His plan would work perfectly. _

Thranduil turned to leave. Oliner spoke quickly. "Will you be leading the Elves yourself?" He wanted to clarify the King's earlier statement.

"Yes," Thranduil said. "You will need to come as well, to show us where the orcs are." Oliner nodded but Thranduil was already gone. The Captain grinned to himself, this would be too easy.

Oliner walked to his chambers to wash up and acquire a new set of clothes. "This will work," he whispered to himself. In less than a day he would have the King of Mirkwood begging for mercy at his feet with Sharkey bestowing untold power upon him. The thought brought tears to his eyes; he couldn't picture anything more beautiful.



Legolas studied Raaen, the Elf was stirring slightly. "Raaen, nin henial _[Do you understand me]_?"

"Uma," came the unexpected reply. Legolas started.

"You're awake?" He asked excitedly.

"Uma," the Elf repeated, breathing heavily.

"How do you feel?" Legolas saw the Elf try to sit up before falling back down with a loud groan.

"Like my stomach is on fire." He saw the arrow shaft, "Oh." He stopped for a moment, trying to comprehend what had happened. He couldn't do it; there was no logic to this situation. "My Prince, what has happened?" His eyes focused on Legolas, recognizing him as the Prince.

"Oliner has betrayed us. Laythil and Estel have been captured as well." He thought it best to leave out Helrin. Nobody needed more despair.

"You are awake?" Laythil and Aragorn tuned in on the conversation.

Raaen nodded. "Captain Oliner, he betrayed us? Why?"

Laythil sighed. "He is evil, Raaen. He hid it well, but there is no hope for him."

Raaen still looked confused but let it drop. "How badly am I hurt?"

Aragorn answered. "Your stomach is trying to heal with the arrow still embedded. You need it to be removed and bandaged properly. We need to escape." Aragorn knew that they would need to reach Mirkwood before the shaft could be removed, they would need proper bandages and herbs or else the wound would become infected or begin bleeding again.

"How?" Laythil asked. "We have no sharp objects to cut the ropes and those orcs are watching us."

Legolas nodded. "I do not know. Look on the ground for something sharp. A stone, anything." Instantly, Aragorn and Laythil started inspecting the grass for potential escape tools.

"My boot," Raaen's voice was rough and soft. Legolas realized that he was starting to lose consciousness again.

"What about your boot?" Aragorn asked the barely conscious Elf.

"D-dagger," he whispered. "Right boot, there's a dagger. Thought it might…come in handy at one point."

"You thought right. Estel, can you reach his boot?" Legolas asked Aragorn who was the closest to Raaen's feet.

Aragorn grimaced and shifted his position so that he was able to reach Raaen's right boot, with his teeth. He moaned as his arm was jolted, resulting in a sharp intake of breath on Legolas' behalf. Aragorn kept going and wrapped his mouth around the top of the Elf's boot, tugging with all his might. It hurt his arm immensely but his moans were slightly muffled by the thick material of the boot.

"Mind your arm, Estel," Legolas whispered. The ranger gazed at Legolas in reply.

Aragorn was ignoring the fact that he was _biting_ the Elf's boot, he just continued to pull. A second later the boot slipped off and a small dagger fell out. "You think Oliner wouldn't have been so ignorant," Aragon grasped the dagger in his mouth and started on his bonds. The ranger had to suppress moans and screams as his arm was nudged with every slash of the dagger.

As fate would have it, an orc approached. "How are you scum doin'? Are you enjoyin' yerselves?"

Laythil moved as far in front of Aragorn as he could to cover him. "What do you think?"

The orc snorted and cackled horribly. "I think you should be grateful that we 'aven't gutted you yet."

"Thank you," Legolas drawled sarcastically. He risked an inconspicuous look in Aragorn's direction. The ranger had progressed through his ropes and was now handing the weapon to Laythil. Legolas stalled. "Why do you number only ten?"

"Nope, we ain't allowed to tell you that," it laughed hideously. "Yer just gonna have to keep wonderin'."

"You probably don't know either. Aren't you trusted by your _master_?" Legolas goaded the orc. Laythil shot him a cautious look.

The orc shrieked. "I am trusted, and he ain't my master. You had better remember that!"

Legolas laughed. "You are a poor liar."

The orc reached forward and ran its claws down the length of Legolas' back slowly, hitting several wounds. The Prince gasped and moaned as the lacerations started to smart again. The orc laughed. "You had better learn to keep yer foul, Elven trap shut!"

A second later Laythil shot forward and struck the orc in the neck with the dagger. It fell immediately, blood pooling around its mutilated carcass. The warrior pulled out the blade and threw it at an approaching orc, felling it in the same manner.

Aragorn moved forward to untie Legolas, since the dagger was now halfway across the clearing. "Are you okay, mellon nîn?"

Legolas nodded. He felt his back start to burn again and trembled involuntarily. Aragorn didn't miss it. He placed a hand on the Elf's shoulder, making sure to avoid the wounds. "These knots are too tight, I will need the dagger."

A moment later Laythil sped out into the centre of the clearing and dislodged the dagger from the corpse. The Elf dodged an orc fist and returned to Aragorn hurriedly.

"Here," Laythil handed it to him. "Untie him, I will hold off the other eight until you are free." The Elf leapt forward and kicked out at an orc.

Aragorn sliced the ropes and they fell to the ground. He helped Legolas gain his feet. "We need to help Laythil," the archer nodded to the Elven warrior.

Laythil wrapped his arm around an orc's neck and twisted sharply. It fell to the ground, dead. The Elf turned and kicked the nose of another one. He would defend his Prince no matter what.

Legolas sprang forward and performed an agile kick, cracking the head of an orc back so that its neck broke at the spine. He proceeded to punch one in the face, black blood spurting across his fair hand. He then had to stop and release several gasps in quick succession as his back caught up with his swift actions. His arm screamed in protest as well. It forced him to moan.

"Get 'em!" Gorlag shouted, hefting a sword. He jumped forward and struck for Legolas' leg. The Elf reacted quickly and spun out of the way. Legolas could feel his reactions slowed by his body's injuries but he was still a great deal swifter than the orcs.

All Aragorn could do was dodge and kick, due to his right arm being useless. He was at a disadvantage, and soon an orc bashed a fist into his dislocated shoulder, causing him to cry out and sink to his knees.

Legolas looked up sharply and made for Aragorn, forgetting about Gorlag who was pursuing him intently. "Mellon nîn," he wrapped his hands around the orcs head, caressing its cheeks, before turning the brute's head to the side swiftly and allowing it to fall to the ground, dead. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Aragorn gasped. "I think so." He lifted his head and gazed into Legolas' captivating blue eyes. Then he saw Gorlag approach Legolas from behind, his sword raised threateningly. "Legolas!"

The Prince turned in time to see the orc lower its arm, the sword falling in one swift strike.



Oliner looked across at the King, mounted on his snow-white steed. The King looked back, and in his eyes Oliner saw desperation and anger. The King would go to extreme limits to rescue his son. Oliner suppressed a laugh. "Are we ready, my lord?"

Next to Thranduil sat Aluer, her fair hair glowing in the sunlight. She turned her pale eyes on the Captain and smiled encouragingly. It had been the King's idea for her to accompany them; she was a skilled and deadly warrior. Her talents would be needed. Oliner wasn't put off by her presence, only frustrated slightly. An unnecessary complication in his opinion.

Thranduil nodded. "Idh 'roe a chyth vîn sílatha nu anor_ [The bones of our foes will gleam under the sun]_!_"_ He yelled to the company of twenty before spurring his horse out of the gates.

Oliner hid a grin as they galloped deeper into the forest. Nothing could interfere with his plan, nothing at all.

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**TBC**

**A/N: There's chapter seven. Hooray! Please review, don't make me keep asking. Thanks for reading; the next chapter will be posted on Monday due to the severe lack of length this chapter possessed. Remember, though, that's still just an estimate!!! :)**

**{Again, if you still see any mistakes feel free to let me know in a constructive manner!! Hannon lle}**


	8. The Wounds We Bear

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: Okay, an Elvish note. In this chapter I have used the word 'Lau' for 'No' in Elvish. I think that 'Lau' might be Quenya, and I'm not sure if Legolas and Aragorn can speak Quenya or just Sindarin. So, if it bothers you and you want to tell me in a review whether they can speak Quenya or not, feel free. Thanks. Reviewers, yes, you know who you are, thank you massively. Without you this story would be going so much more slowly and would lack certain quality. Go on, clap yourselves on the back, you've earned it!!**

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Chapter Eight: The Wounds We Bear

Legolas saw a flash of metal and tried to move as fast as he could, but not even his Elven agility could save him completely. He felt an agonizing pain in his right shoulder and cried out loudly.

Gorlag grinned as his blade embedded itself deeply in the Prince's shoulder. Blood flowed hurriedly down the Elf's arm and onto the ground to stain the grass a deep crimson. "That ought to put you in yer place!"

Aragorn stood and kicked the orc in the chest, knocking it back. As soon as the orc flew back, Laythil grabbed him and drew the dagger across his thick neck. "My Prince, how are you?"

"It…hurts," Legolas ground out.

Aragorn moved forward and grasped the blade with his left hand. He pulled on it, sharply removing it from the skin. Legolas released a sharp cry of agony and glared at the ranger. "Thanks…for…the warning."

"Sorry mellon nîn," Aragorn threw the blade aside. "Laythil, you will need to wrap a bandage around his shoulder to stem the blood loss. I can't," he looked at his dislocated arm pointedly.

"Of course," Laythil tore a strip off of his tunic and moved forward to bandage his Prince's shoulder. Legolas gasped as it was secured. "There…"

"Hannon lle _[Thank you],_" Legolas mumbled. He stood and started forward, his legs feeling like they were devoid of bones. It was a struggle to make haste. Aragorn and Laythil followed. They stopped by Raaen.

"We must take him," Legolas whispered. Laythil stepped forward and cut the ropes.

The warrior then hefted the Elf in his arms and turned to the others. "I will carry him, you are both injured."

Aragorn and Legolas nodded and started in the direction of Mirkwood. "Where do you think Oliner is?" Aragorn asked the question that was on all three of their minds.

"It is impossible to tell. We should head for Mirkwood and hope that he has not commenced with his plan yet. I fear for my father," Legolas whispered the last sentence.

Aragorn and Laythil nodded and all three of them continued at as swift a pace they could manage. They were mere hours from Mirkwood but due to their injuries, it would take longer. Legolas sighed in impatience.

"It is okay, Legolas," Aragorn whispered.

Legolas turned on Aragorn. "No, it isn't Estel! Not only have I allowed Elves that trusted me die, but I've dragged _you_ into this as well! My life and several other Elves' wasn't enough, oh no, I had to go and get my best friend dragged into this mess as well! Now, because I was too incapable to realize Oliner for what he was, my father is at risk! Because of me, the future King of Gondor, the King of Mirkwood and several precious immortals are going to die! How is that 'okay'?"

Aragorn looked at his friend, taken aback by the outburst. Legolas had tears in his eyes and looked as if the wind could blow him away with ease. He didn't know that the Elf was blaming himself for all this, that he considered it all his own fault. He also didn't realize that the archer felt guilty about allowing him to come. "Legolas, no, it is not your fault. There is no way you could have known Oliner was a traitor. He tricked everyone, he still is." He paused before continuing. "You say you feel guilty for dragging me into this? Legolas, remember all the adventures we've had together? You should know by now that I'll follow you wherever you go, invited or not. I wanted to come, mellon nîn. Your blame is unnecessary and unhealthy. Please, let it go."

Legolas lifted sad, pain-filled eyes to meet the ranger's. "As you wish," was his only comment. Before Aragorn or Laythil could say another word, the Prince turned and continued to stumble through the forest. They had no choice but to follow.

Every step was agony for Legolas. His back blazed like a fire, consuming his senses. If he didn't know better, he would have thought that someone was holding a torch to his skin. It took all his concentration to stop himself from moaning with every small movement the muscles in his back made. His arm continued to throb steadily, like a headache. The arrow wound was as tender as his back to the touch; it would be painful to dress. Even the pressure of applying herbs to it would probably make him scream in agony. As long as it wasn't bumped or touched, it would hopefully remain a throb. He also had several bruises marring his perfect skin. A large one ran down his left cheek and dried blood stuck to his face.

He was certain that the rest of his body was likewise afflicted. He didn't even want to see his torso; he knew it would be an ugly sight. With every step he felt a sharp pain in his chest, screaming with the other pains of his body, drawing him to the conclusion that he sported at least one cracked rib. Possibly more.

His latest wound, the deep cut on his right shoulder, agonized him immensely. The wound, though bandaged, continued to lose blood. Legolas knew that he would need it to be bandaged properly; staunching the blood flow, to prevent further blood loss but nothing could be done here. Every movement his right arm made caused him to wince visibly.

Then there was his ear. He felt ashamed about what had happened to the sensitive body part. He had tried touching it earlier, when Aragorn and Laythil were occupied. It had made him nauseous. He wasn't sure if the point would remain so extremely sensitive permanently, but he was powerless in the decision. Even the slightest wind brushing against the left side of his face caused him to shudder. _What if his ear could never be touched again…?_

"Do you need rest?"

Legolas turned sharply at the question. He had been too focused on his pain to remain alert to his surroundings. _More foolishness…_

Laythil repeated the question patiently. He realized how traumatized his Prince's body must be. "Do you need rest?"

Legolas shook his head. Of course, he did need rest but he still remained too proud to admit to that. Aragorn stood forward, looking frustrated.

"Legolas, you may be the Prince of Mirkwood and consider it your 'duty' to go to their aid as fast as possible, but you will help no one in the state you are in now." His face mimicked that of Lord Elrond's when the Lord of Imladris was having trouble with particularly stubborn Elves in the healing ward. Legolas knew from experience.

"You are no better," Legolas gestured to the dislocated arm.

The human scowled. "We are talking about _your_ wounds, not mine."

"Let me fix it," Legolas stated. He wasn't asking for permission.

Aragorn grimaced but allowed Legolas to approach. He knew this was going to hurt.

The Elf wrapped his slim fingers around the joint and, with Elven speed, twisted the bone sharply and placed it back in the correct place. He flinched as Aragorn screamed shortly. The cry was cut off as the human visibly bit his tongue.

Aragorn inspected his arm. It no longer hurt with every movement but he still cradled it to his chest to prevent it from sustaining further harm. "Now," he glared at Legolas, "let me see to _your_ wounds."

The archer scowled deeply. "Estel, we must hurry…"

"Lau _[No],_" The ranger's voice was firm, commanding all the authority of a King. "You will be tended to. I will see to you to the best of my ability."

Laythil hid a smile as the human marched forward and started to inspect his Prince. This human was an amazing friend to the Prince, he cared so deeply for him and Legolas seemed to listen to Estel more than his own father. It was a truly fascinating occurrence…

Aragorn started with the most threatening wound, the shoulder gash. He ripped some tunic away from his body and tied more around the shoulder, thickening the support to try and stem the blood flowing from it. Aragorn made sure to use his sore arm delicately, to prevent more pain.

As soon as the wound was further dressed, Aragorn moved on without a moment's hesitation. He gingerly touched the arrow wound on his friend's left forearm, raising an eyebrow at the Elf when he writhed and released a moan. "Tender?" The Prince nodded.

Aragorn ripped off another piece of material before wrapping it around Legolas' forearm. The archer forced himself to remain still, even though the small pressure was torture to him. Aragorn tied it off and nodded. "That will have to do for now. These wounds will need proper tending to once we reach Mirkwood. Understand?"

Legolas rolled his eyes. "Yes, now can we continue?"

The ranger shook his head. "Not yet." He extended his good arm and felt the Elf's chest testily. He shook his head when Legolas inhaled sharply as he found the cracked rib. "Impossible," Aragorn muttered. "Only you could find this many ways to get injured."

"Or you," Legolas smiled, though it did not reach his eyes.

Aragorn was forced to ignore the rib, knowing that nothing could be done for it here. His gaze then went to his friend's ear. He noticed that there was a line of blood across the tip and the ear was a hideous red colour. He touched it gently.

Legolas whirled back, his arms going up defensively. Aragorn gaped as Legolas seemed to cower under the touch. He had no idea how sensitive the ear now was. He felt pity and sympathy swell in his heart for the Prince. Elves' ears were already sensitive enough without being further incensed.

"I'm sorry," Aragorn said quickly, horrified by what he'd done.

Legolas calmed a bit. His ear felt like it was being ripped from his head slowly. "No, Estel, don't be. It's just…tender is all."

The ranger nodded. "We are going to rest."

"Lau _[No],_" Legolas demanded. "My father is in danger."

"My Prince, you are barely standing. Please, rest," Laythil knew he couldn't tell the Prince what to do but he could ask.

Legolas shook his head. "Oliner…"

"-Can wait. There is time for rest." Aragorn walked over to the large root of a tree and sat down, reveling in the reprieve. Laythil joined him, laying Raaen down on the ground gently. Legolas sighed before stalking over to them, his gait exhausted. As soon as he hit the ground he laid back and closed his eyes, Aragorn smiling at him.

"Maybe I'm a _little_ exhausted," Legolas yawned before his eyes reopened and glazed over.

"Of course," the ranger grinned as he studied the forest canopy. He was content just to rest for the moment. Laythil soon drifted to sleep beside him.



Aluer stood gracefully and made her way towards King Thranduil. They had stopped to allow the horses a drink. They would be continuing in mere moments. She decided that now would be as good a time as any to voice her thoughts to her lord.

"Lieutenant," Thranduil greeted the she-Elf as she approached him.

"My King," she bowed deeply. "I wish to speak with you," she looked around at the surrounding warriors tending to their horses, "in private."

The King nodded and turned, heading for the edge of the clearing. The water sloshed as horses ran through it, relaxing their tense muscles. Some Elves bent down and lifted mouthfuls of water to their lips. The water was so pure; it was hard to believe that they were under threat here. It was so tranquil.

"Aluer, what is it?" Thranduil turned to face his Lieutenant.

"I do not like the fact that we are out here with so few Elves," she started. "What if the orcs have set up a trap?"

"Lieutenant, Captain Oliner specified that there were no more than ten orcs alive. I trust his word, as you should." Thranduil studied the young she-Elf, looking for a reason to her distress.

"My lord, the trees," she swept her arm out, taking in the whole forest, "they speak of an ill-fate. They continuously pass warnings to us."

Thranduil nodded. "Yes, I can hear them. They are probably warning us about the orcs. We must be getting close. Do not worry, Aluer, we can easily take on ten yrch. Keep your spirits high."

Aluer gazed at the King's retreating form sadly. She knew he was probably right, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong. She did, however, know that this was not going to go as easy as anyone planned.

"What burdens your mind Lieutenant Aluer?" Oliner came up behind her.

"I fear that there will be complications with this rescue," she didn't turn to look at the captain, only continued to stare ahead dreamily.

"We must hope for the best," he clasped her shoulder. "We are stronger than you think. Do you really believe that there could be a complication with killing ten orcs? They are probably wounded as well. This will be easy."

Aluer smiled at the captain. He had a way of boosting her hopes. "Maybe you are right. I am just naturally paranoid by nature."

"Don't be," he squeezed her shoulder gently. "Prince Legolas may rely on our confidence, we cannot let him down."

Aluer smiled back at Oliner. He seemed to be able to lift the spirits of even the saddest creature. She felt truly reassured with him in her presence.

"Are you faring well?" He whispered by her ear.

"I am as well as can be expected under the circumstances," she grinned at him. "Lle anno nîn estel _[You give me hope]._"

Oliner smiled back at her. "Glassen _[My pleasure]._" He felt a certain amount of affection for Aluer. She was one of the few Elves apart from the King whom he had gotten along with. He would feel bad betraying her, but there were better things than friendship. Much better things…

Aluer smiled gracefully again before turning and stalking back towards her white stallion. She felt encouraged but the trees continued to murmur endless warnings to her. She could tell the other warriors were unnerved by the tree's whispers as well by the way they looked around nervously. She smiled and tried to push the thoughts from her mind, she needed to focus on rescuing her Prince.

As she mounted her stallion she saw a flicker of motion to her left. Immediately her bow was in her hand, an arrow strung, ready to fire. Her keen eyes surveyed the trees, looking for even the slightest amount of movement. As she turned her head a flash of white through the green could be seen. She took careful aim.

The white flash seemed to get closer, she pulled back her right arm…before lowering the bow and releasing a small cry of surprise. She cursed herself for what she had been about to do and called to the King. He almost seemed to materialize out of the air, appearing with indescribable grace. "What is it?"

Aluer lifted her elegant hand and pointed in the direction of the magnificent white being. "I believe it is Oloser, my lord."

Thranduil gasped and narrowed his eyes. "Yes," he exclaimed before whistling musically to the horse. It trotted through the trees without a moment's hesitation.

The stallion was still a magnificent sight, except it sported a large scratch across its shoulder. Thranduil fumed when he saw the wound an orc blade had left. The foul creatures had attacked the horses as well. He patted the horse fondly, trying to calm it down. He had never seen Oloser this agitated.

The horse continuously shook its head from side to side, shifting its hooves in anticipation for an attack. The Elven King whispered words of comfort to the horse and it slowly began to stand still.

Oliner kept his face impassive even though he was boiling inside. He would reprimand the orcs; they would pay for not disposing of all the horses. That was, after he lead the King to the clearing of course.

"My King, we are getting closer to where the orcs were last situated," Oliner urged casually.

"Good," Thranduil smiled with determination. "It's about time I had a talk with these orcs." He called an Elf forward. "Sinarel, make sure Oloser has a long drink and then escort him back to Mirkwood." The dark-haired Elf nodded to his King and lead Oloser over to the lake.

Before anyone else could say another word Thranduil swung up onto his horse and rode further into the forest. Oliner grinned. _It wouldn't be long now…_

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**TBC**

**A/N: Chapter 8!!!!! There, that chapter was pretty docile. Happy? Hehehe, you should all be appreciating this rare occasion. Well, chapter 9 will be up in a couple of days, as usual. Designated date is, at the moment, Wednesday. Thanks for reviewing and continue to do so. For my sake! :)**

**{Again, if you still see any mistakes feel free to let me know in a constructive manner!! Hannon lle}**


	9. Time Is Of The Essence

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to review this story!! Also, thanks to those who have even taken the time to read a single word! You guys are GREAT!! Well, here's chapter nine so, please, enjoy.**

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Chapter Nine: Time is of the Essence

Aragorn jerked upright suddenly. He didn't even realize he'd fallen asleep until now. He looked around and saw Legolas and Laythil continued to rest on either side of him. He stood slowly.

It was now day, although it was hard to tell due to the immense density of the forest. It still appeared quite dark. He stretched his cramped arms before turning to wake his companions. "Legolas, Laythil."

The elves' eyes refocused and they stood elegantly. Legolas looked around nervously. "How long have we slept?"

"A few hours, mellon nin. Come." The ranger turned and continued through the forest. Laythil followed, Raaen cradled in his arms, with Legolas bringing up the rear.

With every step, the elf prince's injuries protested greatly. The pain in his shoulder had not lessened any and his back still burnt hotly. His arm remained okay unless he moved it, which was frequently. He was surprised he was still able to move as swiftly as he was.

"Do we even know where we are going?" Laythil broke the continual silence.

"Mirkwood," Aragorn answered. "Hopefully before Oliner has time to do anything. It would be better if we knew what he was planning."

"Indeed," Laythil murmured. "What if he has taken the king into the forest?"

"Why would he do that?" Aragorn sounded skeptical.

Legolas stopped walking, realization dawning. The pieces were starting to fall into place. Him, being captured, Oliner heading back to Mirkwood in an exhausted state, the orcs numbering only ten and now Laythil's guess about Thranduil being coerced into the forest. He had a feeling he knew what Oliner was planning.

"Legolas?" The human noticed his friend's halt and far away expression.

The archer snapped back to reality. "I think I know what Oliner is planning."

"What?" Laythil and Aragorn both asked at the same time.

Legolas clasped his hands eagerly. "Think about it, he needed to capture me especially. He keeps hinting at the fact that my father will go to extreme lengths to ensure my safety. Then, he goes to Mirkwood, battered and bloody to speak with my father, leaving us with only ten orcs. What if he is luring my father into the forest……under false pretences?"

Laythil nodded as he caught on. "He'll say you've been captured by ten orcs and then Thranduil will travel with few elves, unaware of the hundreds that still lurk."

"It is a trap," Legolas agreed. "Now, we just need to figure out where it is set."

"I do not hear anything." Aragorn shook his head. "What does your elven hearing pick up?"

The prince turned his head on its side and strained his ears, listening for even the slightest brushing of leaves. Then he heard it, a horse whinny accompanied by sounds of water. A lake. The splashes were loud; it was the horses that were quiet. They were soft and he really needed to concentrate in order to hear them. "Horses," he whispered before flying into the forest as fast as his wounds would allow him. Laythil and Aragorn kept pace with him easily.

Legolas knew that the king was obviously allowing the horses a reprieve at a lake. The water could be heard easily and from the sound of it, Thranduil and the elves were only just departing.

They dodged low-hanging branches and large tree roots as they moved at a fast walk. The sounds of hooves could now be heard even by Aragorn's ears. They were so close, a thin layer of trees separating them. The three of them didn't worry about being quiet; there was no reason to hide. Still, Legolas winced with every twig that snapped and every rock they kicked along the ground. He was surprised that the elves' hearing didn't notice them. They were so close.

Legolas stopped and leaned against a tree heavily for support. His battered body needed rest and he was unwilling to comply. "They're changing direction."

"They are heading south towards the orc camp," Laythil agreed. "Though, they are headed further west, as if they are heading for the clearing next to the camp."

Legolas nodded and turned back in a south-westerly direction, forcing his legs to carry him at a jog. He gasped with every jostling movement. It didn't take long for Aragorn to notice. "Rest, mellon nin."

"Oliner is leading my father into a trap, Estel. Right now. There is no time for rest." The prince didn't slow down, only willed his body to move faster. Laythil appeared to be the least exhausted.

"You will pass out before we reach them." Aragorn found it worrying that he kept pace with the elf that was usually running circles around him. "You're body is giving out."

Legolas ignored the ranger, focusing his mind on the 'right, left, right, left' motion of his legs. His father needed him.

"At least slow down, hir nin." Laythil spoke from a few feet in front of Legolas. The warrior was only moving slowly on his behalf; Legolas knew the elf had more energy than them at the moment. Even with his burden, Laythil would still be able to manage a run if he wanted.

"That could be the mistake that changes the outcome of the approaching situation," Legolas gasped over the intensifying pain his body was experiencing.

"Stubborn elf!" Aragorn cursed.

"Insistent human." Legolas laughed shortly but had to stop for fear of losing what precious breath he was inhaling. He wasn't used to being this exhausted.

The horses soon came to a stop, allowing the three comrades to approach the clearing and gaze through the trees. From this clearing, the orc camp was barely visible. Legolas noticed that, if they still had of been tied to the stakes in the ground, they would have been out of sight. The ten orcs that were watching them, however, would've remained visible to the keen eyes of the elven group.

The prince smiled with satisfaction when Oliner inhaled sharply at the sight of the slain orcs. At least three dead bodies were visible through the trees.

"He has escaped!" Thranduil dismounted and approached the opposite clearing.

"My king, it could be a trap," Oliner warned falsely. He laced his tone with concern and worry. Legolas felt sick.

"Legolas is a skilled and resourceful elf, Captain. It is likely he found a way to escape only ten yrch." Thranduil stopped though, studying the clearing carefully. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make out every detail of the camp. There were too many trees between them. He took a step closer.

"Oliner is right, my lord. Be cautious." Aluer appeared beside the king. She smiled encouragingly.

"As always, Lieutenant. I must find out what happened though." The king continued for the clearing.

Legolas felt his heart stop as a long, black arrow embedded itself in his father's thigh. The king dropped to one knee and let out a gasp of pain. Aluer moved forward to assist her king but was stopped by Oliner's strong hand around her thin waist.

The mounted elves strung bows in the blink of an eye and shot arrows blindly into the forest. It was pointless though, as they could not see their enemies whereas the orcs targeted them easily. They fell like flies.

"NO!" Aragorn whispered furiously as Legolas ran forward to help the elves who were being slaughtered. He wrapped his good arm around his friend's lean form and held the weak elf back. Normally, Legolas would have escaped straight away but his exhaustion heavily burdened him. The elf thrashed with what little strength he had left.

"You cannot help them." The ranger felt tears sting his eyes at the cruel act he was performing. What if Legolas was preventing him from aiding Lord Elrond at a dire time? He knew he'd be just as hysterical as Legolas was now. "Shhhh, mellon nin, we'll find a way to rescue him."

Thranduil stood, taking all the weight off of his injured leg and glared at Oliner furiously. "What are you doing? The elves are being massacred."

The captain was struggling to contain the thrashing lieutenant but managed to smile evilly. "Yes, I know." He grunted as Aluer's elbow found his stomach. He wrapped his right hand in her blonde tresses and held a dagger to her throat. "Stay still, now." She didn't say a word, only glared with icy steel at the captain whom she had trusted so much.

"Captain Oliner!" Thranduil thundered, "Explain yourself immediately!"

"Why, my _lord_, it appears that someone has betrayed us," he smiled wickedly. "You should find more trusted elves to accompany you on these sorts of missions."

Thranduil scowled at the elf. "I did trust you, Oliner. Why?" He cursed himself for being so stupid. Those elven warriors were dead because of him, because he had trusted Oliner. He was a king and he couldn't even realize who was loyal to him or not. Naive, that's what he was and he cursed himself for it.

"Your son asked the same question."

There was a glint in the elf king's eyes that caused Oliner to shift uneasily. "Mas ion nin _[Where is my son]_!?"

Thranduil's shout caught Oliner off guard slightly and he flinched. "I wish I could tell you."

"You had better or I'll –"

"You'll what?" Oliner cut the king off. "You're powerless." He waved a hand and hundreds of orcs appeared out of the trees. "What are you going to do, O mighty elven king?"

Thranduil held his head high and stared the traitorous captain in the eye. "If Legolas is hurt in any way I will see to it that you rot in the dungeons for the rest of your immortal life."

Oliner frowned at the honesty in his voice. It wasn't a threat, it was a fact. "Bind his hands behind his back," he hissed to the orcs. "Resist, and I'll kill her." He shook Aluer, drawing a thin line of blood across her jugular.

Thranduil nodded and stood still, allowing the orcs to approach him. The foul beasts eyed the king cautiously, as if he would transform into a warg right in front of them. Eventually they gathered the courage to bind the elf.

Legolas wept now. He didn't try to keep his emotions in check any longer, he had failed. His father, the King of Mirkwood was now captured by the enemy because of him. He allowed all his anger, hopelessness, guilt, fear and pain to be released through the silent tears. Aragorn didn't hold him, comforting him in his misery; he sat a small distance away to allow Legolas his privacy. The elf was proud, even when he was crying, and the human wouldn't shame him by trying to give him false hope.

Laythil stared sadly at his prince. A few tears ran down his own cheeks. These past few days were taking their toll on all of them. He risked another look at the clearing and saw Thranduil being forced to his knees in front of Oliner. He felt rage boil inside him at the disrespect for his king.

"This is how it should be," Oliner purred. "You, bowing to me."

Thranduil didn't say a word, nor did his facial expression change. He just stared ahead silently, his eyes unfocused and far away. Oliner felt a surge of anger at the unresponsive elf. He enjoyed taunting his victims and getting to them.

"Your son has a beautiful scream."

Thranduil changed so fast it was almost impossible to detect any shift. His eyes filled with hatred, contempt and murderous rage as he directed his gaze on his formerly trusted captain. The king couldn't describe the emotions those six words brought out in him. "What. Did. You. Do!?"

"Oh, temper, temper." Oliner grinned joyfully. "I only taught him how to be a good prince."

Thranduil shook his head in denial. _What has he done to Legolas? Oh, sweet Eru, let him be okay. Please, please, let him be alright. Please. _

"My lord, you look troubled." The captain pulled out some rope and bound Aluer before swiftly smashing her in the side of the head with the hilt of his falchion. She didn't have time to blink. He let her drop to the ground, unconscious.

"Troubled?" The elven king's voice trembled slightly. "I trusted you Oliner! You betrayed me. Tell me, what have you done to Legolas?"

"That almost sounds like begging." Oliner grinned. "You care about him too much for your own good."

Thranduil felt frustration well up inside of him. This sadistic elf, his former captain and friend, had done something to his son and was now refusing to impart any information concerning Legolas to him. "Tell me where he is!"

The captain pursed his lips. "I honestly don't know. I left him to have some fun with the orcs, now he's gone." He smiled slyly. "Maybe they went too far."

"Don't say that!" The king felt panic pulling at him. The captain had left his son alone with orcs. "How hurt is he?"

"Very. When I last saw him he looked like he could barely stand. Blood loss, maybe? There's even a chance he's dead by now."

"Lau!_ [No!],_"Thranduil shouted. "Lau! Lle risa! _[You lie!]_"

"No I do not. I watched him moan as I pulled miniscule layers of skin from his back. He held on valiantly, yes, but he eventually screamed. They all do in the end." The captain motioned to some orcs who came forward and picked up Aluer. "Tie her to a tree; make sure she's bound tightly."

"How could you? He is your prince!" Thranduil glared at the elf angrily. He never thought Oliner would be an elf he'd hate.

"Not anymore. Don't worry, when I find him I'll let you watch." The elf was almost giggling with joy.

"He's probably back in Mirkwood by now!" The king stormed, clenching his fists furiously.

"He'll find you gone and come to rescue you. He's moronic that way." Oliner smiled.

Thranduil clenched his mouth and refused to be goaded further. He felt slightly light-headed by the betrayal. Oliner had always been there for him, supporting him in his decisions and providing helpful advice when needed. He had trusted the captain with his _life_. Now the elf had hurt his son only Valar knew how badly and would likely do the same to him. He wanted to scream, to cry and thrash, release his rage, but he didn't. He remained impossibly still, not conveying any emotions whatsoever.

Oliner curled his lip at the lack of retaliation from the king. He snapped his fingers and two orcs approached. "Set up camp here. Move anything you need from the previous camp into this clearing." He then moved forward and hefted Thranduil up by his tunic.

"Don't touch me," The elf king spat, his voice a deadly poison.

Oliner rolled his eyes and pulled Thranduil over to the tree next to Aluer. He tied him to the large trunk tightly. The king could have put up resistance but didn't, it was futile and he knew he would only be harshly subdued by orcs anyway. He just stared icily at the captain, ignoring the pain in his hands that were now behind his back, and crushed into the tree. He also felt his leg flair with pain at the rough treatment, the injury was not severe but it proved to be an inconvenience.

"You're going to be here awhile so get comfortable. Tonight, I hope you dream of hearing Legolas scream in agony as he begs for the pain to stop," Oliner said angrily. Thranduil's glare made his temper rise quickly. Without another word he turned and strode into the sea of orcs to help with the erecting of shelters.

Legolas watched every detail of what was happening. His elven hearing picked up every word Oliner said. It made him nauseous; his father would worry for him now. He wanted nothing more than to just leap into the camp and embrace his father. He wiped a tear from his eye and turned to Aragorn and Laythil.

"We'll save him, mellon nin," the ranger murmured softly.

"Now." Legolas strode further west and started to circle around the camp.

"Legolas!" Aragorn hissed. He noticed how the slain elves and horses were being claimed by the orcs. He shuddered to think what would become of the brave souls who deserved an honourable burial but would not receive it.

"I'm saving him now, Estel. Do not try and stop me."

"Mellon nin, please, you will only get yourself captured again. We need to be reasonable." Aragorn grabbed his friend's arm, carefully avoiding the injuries. "We'll think of something. There are too many orcs now; we'd never get out alive."

Legolas turned a pair of piercing turquoise eyes on the human. The emotions in their depths were masked carefully but slivers of pain, anger and desperation could be glimpsed. They were only barely visible, but still there. Aragorn felt his heart break, Thranduil was Legolas' father. Of course the prince would not wait around to see how things played out.

"Estel, Oliner is going to _torture_ my father. Please, let me go," Legolas' voice was barely above a whisper and was filled with sadness.

"No," Aragorn cringed as he said the word. "If you go any further, you will get captured again. How will that help the king?"

The archer shook his head, denying the logic. "I could untie him, the orcs are busy, they would not notice. Besides, I am an elf, I would be silent."

"If they did see you? You are not physically capable of fighting. Stay here, Legolas. Save him properly." Aragorn slowly pulled Legolas back towards Laythil. The warrior had thought it best not to interfere.

It hurt the ranger to see the deep sadness in his friends' eyes. The fair being seemed to have acquired a permanent spot for the depression he was feeling. His azure orbs had sunken into his face and taken on a slightly empty look, as if Legolas was trying to escape the emotional pain he was feeling by folding in on himself.

"Estel, I cannot watch him hurt. I would not be able to withstand it," Legolas breathed. The human had to lean forward in order to hear the words.

"Neither can you just go running in there. We need to think this out." The ranger leant against a tree, taking deep breaths. He wanted nothing more than to rest.

"We'll wait till dark, when they are asleep. That's when we'll rescue my father," Legolas said abruptly. "There is our plan."

"Legolas," Aragorn warned. "We have no weapons. Oliner still has them, we'd be totally defenseless. Oliner will keep guards awake, he doesn't know if we've left the forest yet." Aragorn mentally slapped himself. They could have grabbed their weapons; they had been under a tree in the clearing they were held in.

The archer closed his eyes. He knew that Aragorn was making sense but he just wanted to rescue his father. It wouldn't take long for Oliner to grow bored and decide to play his sick games with the King of Mirkwood. He was not going to let that happen. "I must try."

"My prince, I know it is not my place, but, Lord Aragorn is right. I want to save the king as well, but we cannot act rashly and risk a mistake." Laythil tried to calm the prince.

"Mistake?" Legolas whirled on the elven warrior, "This entire 'trip' was a mistake! I warned him, all of them, that this was bound to fail. Would they listen? No. Now we are all going to pay for it." A choked sob escaped the elf's cracked lips.

"I didn't – my lord – forgive me," Laythil's eyes widened at the reaction he had caused in his prince.

Legolas didn't say a word, only walked over to the tree Aragorn was leaning against and jumped up into the first branch. As soon as his feet left the ground, Legolas felt excruciating agony rip throughout his entire torso. His back screamed at him, reminding him of the trauma. It joined with his damaged shoulder to bring tears to the archer's eyes. Legolas hadn't thought about the pain it would cause to scale the tree, his arms and back protesting strongly with every movement. He only got two branches up before he fell, panting, against the trunk.

Aragorn looked up sadly as his friend disappeared into the foliage. He could still see the elf, he hadn't gone up very far which only proved how drained his body was. The ranger didn't speak to his friend, knowing he needed some time to collect his thoughts.

Laythil walked over and set Raaen down on the grass again. The unconscious warrior stirred slightly before retaining his immobile state. Laythil sat down silently next to him. Aragorn slid down to meet him. "What are your thoughts?"

Laythil turned to the human, he hadn't expected the question. "I want to save my king but I do not know how to go about doing that."

Aragorn hid a scowl. That hadn't helped him any. He was trying to think of a plan to rescue Thranduil whilst at the same time remain out of Oliner's clutches. He knew Legolas would not resist going to his father's aid for long; the prince was just too stubborn. He was surprised he had managed to hold Legolas back like he had.

"We could always head back to Mirkwood and seek help?" Laythil broke through Aragorn's thoughts.

"We still don't know how Oliner plans to use King Thranduil. If we leave, we could very well lose our one chance of rescuing him." The ranger glanced up at Legolas…only to find an empty tree bough.

He stood up instantly, Laythil automatically doing the same beside him. "What is it, Lord Aragorn?"

The ranger scowled deeply and grunted softly, "Legolas has gone from the tree."

Laythil looked up and inspected the empty branch. "Where?"

Aragorn's scowl deepened. "Three guesses."

_

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_

**TBC**

**A/N: Hooray! Chapter Nine!! Hehehe *Grins evilly* I'm gonna try an establish some sort of routine with updating. I'm going to try and see if I can update every second day. Hmmm, let's see if I can get Chapter Ten up on Friday. I'd hate to leave you all in suspense for too long, hahahaha. Okay, give me an 'R'! *Listens for a response and receives none* Give me an 'E'! *Listens again only to hear silence* Fine, don't give me an 'E'. You can, however, give me a review!! Tell me how much you LOVE Oliner, hahaha. :) **


	10. Impulses

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews thus far! They are beyond appreciated and I hope that this chapter serves as a thankyou present for the moment. To all you lurkers out there, thanks for reading, though don't be scared to review. I don't bite......much. **

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Chapter Ten: Impulses

Legolas pressed his back against the tree; using all of the stealth and agility he possessed to remain undiscovered. He risked a look around the stump; the orcs were no longer there.

He had been surprised that he had managed to sneak away from Laythil and Aragorn. He thought that, with his injuries, Laythil's sharp ears would have picked him up almost instantly. He was glad to know that he could still move silently, no matter how much it agonized him.

He was now back in the previous clearing, waiting for the opportune moment to retrieve his weapons. He cursed himself for not doing so before. Now, he was back where he started.

His twin elven blades shone brightly in the sliver of light that hit them. Next to them lay his, Laythil's and Aragorn's bows and quivers along with the ranger's sword and Laythil's scimitar. Raaen's weapons were not present, Oliner must have left them behind when he had captured the warrior. He also saw, beside the weapons, his tattered tunic Oliner had removed. It had several tears but, overall, it was wearable. He silently thanked the Valar that they were still here and that the orcs had not moved them into their new camp yet.

Legolas looked around again and saw no orcs in the immediate vicinity. He could, however, hear their heavy footfalls close by. He would need to act fast. That would be hard to achieve due to his wounds, he groaned inwardly. Why was everything always hard when concerning him and Estel?

The prince took a step forward, listening sharply for orcs before leaping towards the weapons in an acrobatic spin and reefing them from the ground. As soon as he straightened up again he feel to his knees and hissed in pain as he felt his back start to bleed again. It was joined by his forearm and shoulder wounds.

The archer closed his eyes and willed the pain to be ignored. Quickly, he reefed his tunic over his head and strapped his bow and quiver to his back before donning his shoulder scabbard and sheathing his blades. He grabbed the other weapons and stood up again.

Legolas knew that the bows and quivers would be useless without arrows. They had used all their arrows in the fight, but he wasn't about to leave them there. He'd take what he could get. Besides, he didn't feel comfortable without his bow, his most trusted weapon.

Legolas made his way back into the trees, his ears alert to any change the orcs made. He knew how stupid his actions were, but his father was in danger. He had temporarily lost the ability to think rationally.

Another worry nagging at the elf's mind was Aragorn. He knew how cruel he had been, sneaking off without a word. The ranger would either worry for Legolas' safety, or he would try and aid the elf in his foolish quest. Neither option sounded comforting to Legolas. He didn't want to endanger the human any further, but he also knew that Aragorn was just as stubborn as he was.

Legolas continued through the trees as stealthily as he could, making sure to stay out of the orcs line of sight. He made sure to avoid getting too close to Oliner's camp. He now needed to get over the other side of the clearing, where his father was. _Easier said than done_, he thought to himself.

The archer pulled out one of his twin white knives incase he found himself in a sticky situation. In the other hand he cradled the two bows and quivers that belonged to Laythil and Aragorn. The elf had strapped the sword and scimitar around his waist with their belts. He would get them back to his companions soon enough. He continued forward, circling around the camp silently whilst making sure to avoid ruffling leaves. His biggest threat was the orcs smelling his blood. The foul creatures were drawn to the scent of blood.

He heard a twig crack south of his position and he stopped immediately, preparing to scale the tree, no matter how painful the task would be. He heard the footsteps of an orc getting closer to him, approaching the camp. Legolas rushed to move out of the way.

"We got everythin' we need from the other camp!" The orc called across the clearing to Oliner who was scolding another orc. The elf looked up as the orc entered.

"Good, it's about time," Oliner scowled at the orc.

"Sorry, sir, we had more stuff than we first thought." The orc looked anything but sorry.

"You pathetic creatures have hardly any possessions," Oliner snapped "You just dawdled. Lazy brutes."

The orc frowned darkly but didn't respond, only moved off to continue with other tasks.

Legolas released a silent sigh of relief, ignoring the pain it had caused to move away so quickly. He continued forward, heading for the other side of the clearing.

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Aragorn looked up at Laythil who was perched in the tree Legolas had vacated. "Can you see him?"

"No," Laythil whispered.

"Damn that stubborn, hard-headed, persistent, crazy elf!" Aragorn cursed. He knew Legolas had gone to try and save Thranduil somehow. He should have kept a closer eye on his friend.

"We'll find him." Laythil landed on the ground next to Aragorn.

"Before or after he gets captured." Aragorn turned back to the orc camp, searching the other side of the surrounding forest for any sign of his friend. Of course, looking for an elf who didn't want to be found was a pointless task. Even injured, Legolas could still be as inconspicuous as he liked.

Laythil shook his head. "Prince Legolas is no fool, he has probably returned to the weapons."

Aragorn nodded. "Yes, but I doubt he will return here before he tries to rescue his father."

"Let's move around and meet him on the other side of the clearing."

The human nodded thoughtfully. That didn't sound like a terrible idea. He just hoped that they could make it before Legolas tried anything that would fail. "Let's go."

Laythil picked up Raaen and the three of them continued in an anti-clockwise direction around the camp. The orcs were snarling and cursing as their shelters were erected to filter out what little sunlight infiltrated the clearing. The clearing was large, fitting all the orcs. Aragorn couldn't count the foul brutes but he guessed that there were easily eight hundred or more.

"I don't see him yet," Laythil muttered.

"He's a stealthy elf," the ranger muttered in return.

The elven warrior chuckled shortly but stopped the sound before it could get any louder. "He is injured; hopefully I'll see him before he reaches the king. We need to come up with a plan to save King Thranduil or else Prince Legolas won't listen to us."

Aragorn nodded. Without an alternative, they wouldn't be able to hold Legolas back without knocking him out. The ranger really didn't want to do that. "Any ideas?"

"No. If we try to untie him, the chances of the orcs and Oliner seeing us will be high. If we do nothing, Oliner will either hunt us down or find a way to bring us to him. Also, the king will suffer greatly the longer he is in Oliner's custody."

"Indeed." Aragorn increased his pace. "We could create a diversion. Make the orcs switch their attention from King Thranduil to something else so we could rescue him. Still, I don't know how we could make a big enough distraction."

"We have nothing to use." Laythil paused mid-stride.

"What is it?" Aragorn stopped and turned to the warrior who looked thoughtful.

Laythil looked at Aragorn. "We may be able to create a diversion, although it may not last long and it may not be enough to attract all the orcs."

"Anything is better than nothing." Aragorn moved closer to Laythil, lowering his voice.

Laythil gulped visibly before placing Raaen on the ground, propped up against a tree. "I could lead a few of the orcs away from here. I have more energy than you and I know that at least some of the orcs would follow."

"No." Aragorn did not even need to think about it. He was not going to let Laythil give up his own life.

"The king's life is more important than my own and I see no other alternative," Laythil said, his facial expression neutral. Aragorn could tell that the elf was hiding the fear he felt.

"There must be another way," the ranger growled. "I don't see how it'll work anyway, there are too many orcs."

"Saes _[Please]_, Estel," Laythil whispered, "let me save my king."

"Laythil, what if it doesn't work?" Aragorn could see the elf was intent on this plan of action.

"We won't know if we don't try." The warrior gave Aragorn a piercing look, as if trying to melt the ranger into the ground so that he could not interfere.

"I cannot carry Raaen," Aragorn shot, his last excuse. He looked at the unconscious warrior sadly. Raaen would die if he did not receive medical attention soon and the way things were progressing, time was not on their side. It was likely that Raaen would die out here unless their luck changed drastically. His superior elven healing was the only thing that had prevented him from dying thus far and yet, it was not helping. If his wound healed with the shaft still embedded, it would not make matters easier.

"I'm sure your resourceful brain will think of something," Laythil whispered before turning and sprinting into the forest. Aragorn took a step forward but the elf was faster than him and he had less injuries. Aragorn wasn't even sure if the elf had any injuries.

"Laythil!" Aragorn cursed softly into the air. He knew that the chances of the warrior living were low. Now that he was out of options he watched the camp intently. He knew that if the orcs started to chase Laythil he would have to act fast and run down to Thranduil. The only downside was that he would have to leave Raaen alone in the bushes. He cursed their bad luck, not for the first time that day.

"Hurry up!" Oliner struck out at an orc. "I want to have some fun with our latest guests and you're all over the clearing like a pack of headless wargs! Get organized."

The orcs hurried, flashing looks of hate at the captain but not daring to defy him. The one who had been struck straightened, glared at Oliner and took off towards a pack of orcs stacking the dead elf bodies.

"You will fail."

Oliner turned towards Thranduil, glad that the king had finally decided to speak. "Legolas said that. But look, my plan went smoothly enough and now I have you. Of course, I did not anticipate his escape."

"He outwitted you," Thranduil sneered at his former captain, hate lacing his voice.

"Outwitted me? My dear king, everyone's been outwitted _except_ me. Do not worry; you will soon help Mirkwood fall. Mirkwood and dear little Legolas." Oliner chuckled lightly though the noise sounded strained.

"I think not!" The elven king spat at Oliner's feet, emphasizing his defiance and disgust.

"Oh, but I think so. You are their king, Thranduil. Without you, they have no leader. Of course, you have advisors and such that will keep order in your absence, but ultimately they will fall. All I have to do is take your broken, bleeding body back and they will do anything I say to keep you alive. They need you to make their decisions, but they will make their own decision on whether to keep you alive so that you can make their decisions. I hope that's not too complicated for you to understand?"

Thranduil scowled. "Mirkwood is not worth the life of one elf!"

"It is if that elf is the king. Don't you understand? They have no leader to object to my terms. You will be too unconscious to order them not to. They'll do it for your sake!" Oliner had a mad gleam in his eye.

"You will fail."

"I thought Legolas was stupid. Looks like it runs in the family," Oliner sighed sadly.

"Don't speak his name!" Thranduil pulled against the bindings.

"Oh, did I hit a nerve?" Oliner moved forward and ran the back of his hand gently across Thranduil's cheekbone.

"You are insane." Thranduil jerked his head away from the hand.

"You are so much like your son. I'm getting a sense of déjà vu. Our little conversation sounded a lot like this one."

Thranduil glared at Oliner angrily, hating the way he was being taunted with his own son. He felt concern and worry come flooding back for the wellbeing of his child.

Oliner continued to stroke Thranduil's cheek, following the jerking head with his hand. "So much defiance. So fun to break."

Almost instantly an orc cried out in pain, causing Oliner to swirl around. He found himself looking at a mass of black, disfigured bodies swarming into the forest. He grabbed the nearest orc and whirled it around to face him. "What is the meaning of this?"

"We saw an elf, sir, in the forest," the orc chuckled darkly. "It was that other one, not the prince, the warrior. He killed an orc before fleeing. We was gonna go chase 'im down."

"If he's here, that means Legolas isn't far," Oliner muttered. "I want some of you to stay here!" He yelled to the orcs, satisfied when some broke off to remain.

"Well, my _king_, looks like your son has come to me." Oliner grinned before turning and yelling out orders to the orcs in their own foul tongue.

Thranduil felt the urge to wince as the black speech was shouted back and forth but forced himself to remain still. He felt panic swell in his gut. If the orcs were right and Legolas was nearby, then they would most likely find him. The orcs numbered so many.

"Do not make a noise, Ada."

Thranduil started at the whisper in his ear but he quickly defined the voice of his son and the use of the word father. He didn't make a noise, even though he felt like embracing his son and not letting him leave the palace ever again. He was thrilled beyond words to know that Legolas was at least still alive, and moving.

The king felt his ropes cut before they fell to the ground useless. He stood forward and turned around only to see thin air. He stifled a cry of dismay at finding Legolas gone before looking over and seeing the golden-haired archer supporting an unconscious Aluer. Thranduil rushed to help, limping slightly due to his injury.

As Thranduil approached he realized that his son was only barely standing. He couldn't make out the full extent of his wounds but he saw bandages on the younger elf's left forearm and right shoulder. Oliner had also mentioned hurting Legolas' back. The king wordlessly shifted Aluer's weight onto his own shoulders, not wanting to strain Legolas further. "Ion nin."

Legolas smiled slightly at his father, overjoyed to see him again. He had felt so worried, knowing what might have happened to the king. He also felt saddened by Laythil's sacrifice. He had heard the orcs and now blamed himself for the elf's death. It was done as a distraction to allow him time to rescue the king. Another immortal life extinguished because of him.

No doubt, Laythil viewed the king's life as more important but it still didn't stop Legolas from considering alternatives to what had happened. If he had not snuck off, maybe Laythil wouldn't have used himself as bait. "We must hurry Ada, before Oliner sees us," Legolas whispered hastily before turning back to the forest.

"I'm afraid it's far too late for that, princeling."

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Aragorn studied the camp closely, awaiting Laythil's distraction. The elf would no doubt attack and then run, which wouldn't last long. Even with Laythil being uninjured, the elf was still weary from the captivity. The chase would not last long unless a miracle happened for Laythil. The possibilities were unlikely.

Aragorn watched as Oliner approached Thranduil. The captain's lips were moving but Aragorn's human hearing could not hear what was being said. It mustn't have been good as soon Thranduil started thrashing in his bonds, glowering furiously.

Oliner continued to goad the king, moving closer and rubbing his cheek. Aragorn felt angry at the disrespect for Legolas' father. He knew that Oliner was trying to get to the king but it made him angry to see the methods the sadistic elf was using.

A moment later an orc shrieked and then chaos erupted. Oliner turned and orcs were parading across the clearing, heading into the forest after Laythil. The ranger knew it had to be Laythil for there was no other explanation. Oliner shouted something and a few orcs stopped and returned to their duties.

Aragorn's attention was immediately drawn back to Thranduil as a lithe, golden-haired figure emerged from the trees. Legolas. Aragorn felt immense joy at seeing his friend cut the ropes holding Thranduil before moving on to Aluer.

The ranger moved forward through the trees, temporarily leaving Raaen to see if Legolas needed some help. He saw Thranduil grab Aluer but continued, wanting to severely hug and scold his friend.

Aragorn stopped as something caught his eye, Oliner. The elf was stalking back towards Legolas, Thranduil and Aluer, a large grin on his face. The three unsuspecting elves continued to stand there, unaware of the approaching danger. The captain raised the bow in his hands, stopped a short distance away before calling out to the elves. Aragorn was close enough to hear the shout.

"I'm afraid it's far too late for that, princeling," Oliner smiled wickedly, pulling back the arrow and aiming it for Legolas.

"Sweet Eru, NO!" Thranduil moved forward but a second later the bow sang, releasing the projectile. Almost instantly, Legolas staggered backwards before dropping to his knees and releasing a cry of pain.

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**TBC**

**A/N: Oh, wow, does that count as a cliffhanger? Mwahahaha! Poor Legolas, maybe I hurt him too much…..*thinks about it* Nah! Hehe, want to find out what happened to poor Legolas? Sorry, but you'll have to wait an estimate of two days. I'm planning to update on Sunday to maintain the two day routine. In the meantime, you could always review. Just a suggestion……… :)**


	11. Consequences

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one) Also Sinarel = my preciousss. Wow, there's a few OC's in this story.**

**A/N: Thanks everyone for reviewing!! I love reading your thoughts and feedback. Here we go, Chapter Eleven. Shall we see how things play out?**

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Chapter Eleven: Consequences

Legolas gasped as his entire body seemed to scream. The gash on his right shoulder felt like a volcanic eruption. He tried to focus his bleary eyes and glanced at the agonized shoulder. At first he was confused, an arrow shaft was poking out of the right side of his collarbone, just below the gash.

Then he heard voices. One was shouting his name, and then cursing loudly. He couldn't make out the curses but they were directed away from him, at someone else. Another voice was laughing coldly and was speaking with a mocking tone. He turned his head upwards and saw a face, inches from his own, speaking to him worriedly.

"Ada?" He whispered but all that came out was a hoarse gasp. He forced his ears to focus so that he could hear the conversation.

"Legolas? Legolas!? Saes, ion nin!" That was definitely his father's panicked voice, right next to his ear.

"He will not die. The wound is not fatal, only painful. Well, it _shouldn't_ prove fatal. Although, healers might help." Legolas identified that as Oliner's voice and he felt anger burn through his body at the traitorous elf.

The prince then felt something else burn through his body. He didn't know what it was, only that it originated from his right shoulder and seemed to course throughout his entire body as if his bloodstream was burning. Burning him from the inside out.

Thranduil stared down sharply as Legolas convulsed slightly and let out a moan. "Ion nin? What is wrong?"

"Ada?" Legolas spoke more clearly this time. He paused as he felt more pain flare inside of him and he writhed in his father's grip. "I'm burning!" He screamed, unable to stop writhing as he felt his blood boil and course throughout his entire body, burning furiously.

The king looked shocked as Legolas convulsed again and continued to writhe, moaning and gasping. It was as if the elf was being tortured, except no one was hurting him. Thranduil glared at Oliner. "What have you done?"

The captain laughed gleefully, mirth expressed in his tone. "Oops, must have accidentally used _that_ arrow."

Thranduil's eyes widened in shock and he looked at the arrow, realizing that Legolas must have been infected with a poison. "Will he recover?" His voice was deadly.

"Maybe." Oliner paused, "Ultimately, it's up to me."

"What is it?" Thranduil grasped the arrow and ripped it out, cringing as Legolas cried out sharply. The older elf then ripped off a layer of cloth from his tunic and wrapped it around Legolas' collarbone. The bandage traced over the one already covering the gash. Seeing his son's wounds made Thranduil want to stand and kill the one responsible. He was actually surprised Oliner was allowing him to dress the wound.

"Now that would be telling," Oliner laughed. His eyes were transfixed on Legolas, lapping up the prince's pain like a cat does milk.

"Listen!" Thranduil shouted at Oliner from his crouched position on the ground, unable to stand without moving Legolas who was now writhing and convulsing in his arms. "If you don't help my son, I _will_ kill you, Oliner! Is there even an antidote?"

"There's only one way to cease its effects." Oliner grinned. "You must kill the one he's connected to."

"Who is he connected to?" Thranduil was trying to recall a poison that connected two beings but was having difficulty. "What does the poison do?"

"Again, that would be telling." Oliner cupped his own chin thoughtfully. "Although, I guess I could tell you a little bit. The poison infects his bloodstream, putting him through excruciating pain. Once it has travelled throughout his entire body the pain lessens but then the one whom he is connected to can commence with the second half of the torture."

"What is the second half? Tell me Oliner, I have every right to know!" Thranduil winced as Legolas moaned.

"Ada!" The fair archer screamed, "Ada, it burns!"

The king felt a knot form in his stomach as he realized he couldn't help his son at the moment. He couldn't do anything to ease Legolas' pain, and he hated it. He hated feeling helpless. He wanted to save Legolas but couldn't and he felt like he'd scream himself.

"Yes, young princeling. It will burn for some time," Oliner smirked.

"Don't," Thranduil whispered.

"Oh, Thranduil, are you pleading with me?" The captain was having too much fun.

"Tell me what's going to happen to my son!"

"Ah, ah, temper. You are a king, therefore you must be courteous." The captain crossed his arms over his chest, having no intention to move forward towards the king and prince. "Your son is going to become my new play toy."

Thranduil snapped his head from his son's face to Oliner's, rage swelling in his gut. "You're the one he's connected to! I have to kill you." The last sentence was whispered venomously.

Instantly a group of orcs walked forward and stood in front of Oliner, baring their weapons and snarling hideously. "Yer gotta get past us first, scum!" An orc near the front growled.

"Oliner, if it comes down to either you or my son, I will choose Legolas. I have no wish to extinguish an immortal life but if you leave me no choice……" Thranduil stood, cradling Legolas in his arms. The king favoured his injured leg, swaying slightly but quickly pushing the pain from his mind. Legolas was more important.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Legolas screamed and writhed again, clawing at his father's chest. "Put it out, put it out! It burns!"

"Go, Thranduil," Oliner whispered darkly. "Take your son and leave Mirkwood. It now belongs to me! I will give you this one chance to leave, to go and find yourself another little hole to live in."

"I won't abandon my people!" Thranduil held his head proud and moved towards Aluer who was slumped on the ground lifelessly. Her finger twitching slightly was the only sign of life.

Oliner shrugged and raised the bow again, another arrow notched. "Have it your way."

Before Thranduil could open his mouth to retaliate a long, elven arrow embedded itself in Oliner's arm. The captain released a cry of pain and dropped his weapon, glaring angrily in the direction the projectile had come from.

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Aragorn stopped and stared as Legolas screamed in agony, shouting that it was burning. He knew immediately that the arrow must have contained some sort of poison. All he could do was gape as Thranduil and Oliner continued to converse, Thranduil's voice louder than the captain's. He was still thanking the Valar that the arrow hadn't killed the prince, though the poison still might.

The ranger instinctively reached for an arrow that would normally have been held in a quiver on his back but then he remembered that he was unarmed. He cursed himself again for not grabbing at least his sword when they had escaped.

He went to move forward again but he found himself restrained. A thin, white hand was cupped over his mouth and his hands were held behind his back. He winced and released a moan that was stifled by the hand as his right shoulder was strained.

"Estel, I am going to remove my hand now. Do not panic and make a noise."

The human felt the hand drop from his face and his arms were released. He immediately cradled his right arm to his chest and whirled to meet his attacker. He was greatly surprised. "You're an elf?"

"Indeed, Estel," the elf replied, his dark hair framing his fair face. "My name is Sinarel."

"How did you get here?" Aragorn asked, unable to find a way the elf could be here and not have been slaughtered by the orcs.

"I was charged with taking Oloser back to Mirkwood. The king asked me to make sure he got his fill of water and then lead him back. He drank gallons of water to quench his thirst and then I cleaned his shoulder wound as best I could. I was going to take him back to Mirkwood when my elven ears picked up the sound of Prince Legolas and yourself nearby. I followed you. From the course I tracked you taking, you appeared to be following the king and his group."

"Oloser is alive? Where is he?" Aragorn shook his head at the fact they'd been so close to this elven warrior and yet unable to locate him. They could have used the extra help.

"I left him near the lake. Hopefully no further harm will come to him. It is a good thing I followed you." He looked pointedly at Thranduil and Legolas who were now having an arrow aimed at them again.

"We need to get them out of there," the ranger warned as Oliner pulled back on the bowstring.

In the blink of an eye, Sinarel had notched an arrow, aimed and released it. The arrow landed in Oliner's right upper arm with a dull 'thump'. The struck elf released a cry of pain before turning towards Aragorn and the elf responsible for his injury. From the way he surveyed the bush he couldn't tell exactly where they were but he had the right area narrowed down.

As soon as Oliner's attention had been diverted, Thranduil turned, with Legolas in his arms, and ran into the forest as fast as his leg allowed. He laid the writhing archer on the ground before turning back to the camp and retrieving Aluer. He hated to leave his son alone, if only for a few minutes, but he couldn't leave the she-elf behind.

The orcs moved forward towards where Thranduil was escaping but Oliner stopped them. "Let them go," he whispered. "They deserve a head start."

The orcs looked confused. "But, don't you want to keep them as prisoners, sir?"

"Change of plans. I want Mirkwood. With them gone, I shall get it. I will tell the Mirkwood elves that Thranduil was fatally wounded and entrusted Mirkwood into my care, no exceptions. We were too late to save Legolas." He stalked up to the orc, cradling his right arm to his chest, "go and guard the borders of Mirkwood. Do not get too close or else patrols will spot you. Make sure that no one leaves or enters the city. GO!"

Half of the orcs scuttled off to go and find the others who had gone to hunt Laythil. They would then proceed to stop anyone from getting into Mirkwood.

Oliner turned and saw that he still had at least twenty orcs for company. He sighed. "We go for Mirkwood tomorrow."

"Sir," an orc approached the captain, "what did you poison that elf with?"

Oliner grinned slightly. "An invention of Sharky's. It's a magical potion that binds the victim to the one that shot the arrow. It gives me the ability to play a little game with the Prince of Mirkwood." Yes, he'd need them to escape so that he could experiment with his new toy properly. With them at a distance, he would be able to take full advantage of his sadistic new game.

The orc opened its mouth to ask for more information but Oliner glared at the beast and turned towards his shelter. "Someone get me something to bandage this wound!" He snapped to an orc running past.

He sat down and closed his eyes. Now, all he had to do was stop Thranduil and Legolas from entering Mirkwood and force the elves to accept him as their new leader. He didn't think that last part would be hard; the elves already viewed him as someone to take Thranduil's place in the king's absence due to his devoted _loyalty_. Keeping the royal elves out of the city would be attainable so long as the poison affected Legolas the way it was supposed to. He couldn't wait to begin playing with the Prince of Mirkwood.

He laughed softly. _Oh yes, this would be quite an easy mission._

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Thranduil placed Aluer down next to Legolas. He was confused at the fact that he was not being pursued. Surely Oliner would send orcs after them, he would not let them escape so easily. He frowned when there was definately no sounds of pursuit.

"My king!" Sinarel appeared out of the trees, closely followed by Aragorn.

"Sinarel! Estel!" Thranduil paused. "Oliner said that you were killed." His words were directed at the ranger.

"Oliner said a lot of things," Aragorn muttered distastefully. "What happened to Legolas?"

The king's eyes darkened and he turned back to his son who was panting heavily and would spasm every few minutes. "He has been poisoned in some way, though I do not know what it does. Oliner is connected to him somehow and the only way to cease the poison's effects on Legolas is to kill Oliner."

Aragorn nodded. "It is the only way, hir nin. Oliner has committed one of the worst crimes imaginable and he must be punished for his actions."

Thranduil didn't say a word, only picked up Legolas and continued to walk into the forest. The elven king limped heavily under the added weight but didn't complain. Sinarel grabbed Aluer and followed, Aragorn at the back.

"Ada," Legolas croaked unexpectedly as they began to draw away from the orc camp. Thranduil was still surprised to see that no orcs were following them.

"Yes, ion nin, I am here." Thranduil kept walking.

Legolas turned his head slightly, taking in their surroundings, before smiling. "We escaped."

"Yes. How do you feel?" The king noticed the way Legolas trembled and how he would grimace and writhe slightly every so often.

"Like I've fallen into Mount Doom and crawled out again."

Thranduil smiled at his son's attempt at humour. "Rest, ion nin."

"Ada, Aragorn! I left him. We have to go back for him." Legolas tried to sit up but couldn't due to the position he was being cradled in. If Aragorn tried something and got hurt again because of him he would never forgive himself. He felt even worse now, he had led the ranger on this suicidal mission due to his selfishness and now he had left him alone, near an orc camp. He cursed himself for being stupid, again.

"I'm here, mellon nin. It's okay." Aragorn moved his face into Legolas' line of sight and the elf smiled warmly at him.

"I'm sorry Estel. Goheno nin_ [Forgive me]_." Legolas coughed slightly and smiled weakly at the human. Aragorn's face relaxed him instantly. He felt better just knowing the ranger was safe.

"There is nothing to forgive, Legolas. You only wanted to save your father; I would have done the same thing had our positions been reversed." Aragorn placed his hand on the elf's trembling one and they continued to walk in silence.

The five of them continued in a westerly direction, away from the camp. They would need to head north to Mirkwood soon but right now, all they wanted to do was put as much distance between themselves and Oliner as possible.

"We'll rest here," Thranduil announced as the small slivers of light through the canopy became nonexistent. The elf king's leg needed to rest as much as Legolas.

"I agree," Aragorn muttered as he went over to the nearest tree and sat down. Thranduil walked over and deposited Legolas on the forest floor next to the ranger before sitting on the prince's other side. Sinarel sat down under the tree next to them and checked Aluer's vitals.

"She should awaken soon," the warrior said before resting his head back against the tree. "How fares the prince?"

Aragorn felt his friend's forehead. "His temperature is not feverish. Considering he was talking about being burned, he feels quite cool."

Thranduil reached out his own hand and determined the truth of the ranger's words. "Oh, ion nin, what has he done to you?"

Legolas' cerulean eyes snapped open and focused on Thranduil. "Ada?"

"Yes, Legolas, it is I. Do you feel well?" Thranduil rubbed his son's cheek affectionately.

"Aníron nen_ [I desire water]_," Legolas whispered, his voice hoarse.

Sinarel immediately moved forward and pulled out his water skin. He handed it wordlessly to his king before retaking his place next to the lieutenant. "Hannon lle," Thranduil muttered appreciatively.

Legolas gulped at the water greedily as the mouth of the skin was pressed to his lips. He felt his father pull it away and he fixed the king with a glare.

Thranduil smiled sadly, "you must drink slowly or else it will shock your deprived body."

"Ada," Legolas found his voice this time. The water had helped his raw throat. "Where is Oliner?"

"He let us go without pursuit," Thranduil frowned. "We must get back to Mirkwood before he does."

"Why?"

Thranduil took a moment to figure out what Legolas meant by the question. "I do not know. I fully expected him to give chase but he held back. Legolas, do you feel different?"

The younger elf looked at Thranduil sharply. "Why should I?"

Aragorn sighed and took over for the king. "He shot you Legolas. The arrow was coated in an odd poison. That worthless excuse for a captain said that you are now 'connected' to him. Do you have any idea what he means?"

The archer closed his eyes and tried to sit up only to feel all his injuries come to life. His shoulder felt as if an orc was eating it whilst he was still alive. The gash mixed with the latest arrow wound caused him to release a small cry of pain and sink back down. His left arm throbbed furiously but his back felt as if he was lying on a bed of needles. Every pain in his body was incensed tenfold.

"Lay down, ion nin," Thranduil whispered gently.

"King Thranduil," Aragorn drew the king's attention away from Legolas, "I left Raaen a short distance from here. He is badly injured and unconscious."

"I will get him." Sinarel stood and bounded into the forest. Neither king nor ranger had a chance to argue the subject but they both knew that the warrior was the best equipped for the job. He wasn't injured and would be able to carry Raaen effortlessly.

"My king," The ranger continued, "Laythil was also in our company. He made the diversion that allowed your escape. There is every chance he is now dead."

"I want to know all that has happened since you left Mirkwood," Thranduil looked at Aragorn seriously.

The human nodded. "Of course. Later tonight."

The king nodded satisfied. He then decided to see to his leg, ripping a long piece of material from his tunic and touching the wound gingerly. He gasped as the arrow moved and shot pain through his thigh. He grasped the shaft, mentally prepared himself and ripped it out harshly, stifling a moan. He then proceeded to bandage the wound in order to stop the trickle of blood.

Aragorn looked away as the king removed the arrow, having no desire to watch. He then noticed the extra swords strapped around Legolas' waist. "My sword."

"Pardon?" Thranduil turned to the ranger.

"When Legolas retrieved his knives and bow he must have collected my sword and Laythil's scimitar." He thought for a second how Laythil would no longer need his scimitar but pushed the matter aside. He reached out and gently unhooked the weapons from around the elf's lithe form before donning his sword and handing Laythil's weapon to Thranduil.

The king nodded and tied the belt around his own waist. His own sword had been left in the orc camp, Oliner had confiscated it from him. He would need a weapon.

"I wonder where mine and Laythil's bows are…" Aragorn whispered to himself.

"I dropped them, mellon nin. When I was shot," Legolas whispered.

"That is okay, Legolas. That bow was getting old anyway." Aragorn grinned cheekily at the elf who smiled back.

A groan caught their attention and Thranduil's head whipped in Aluer's direction. "Lieutenant, how do you feel?"

Aluer lifted her head off the ground and groaned again as her vision blackened threateningly before clearing. "My head throbs, hir nin, but I am fine. Where are we?"

"Somewhere in the forests of Mirkwood." Thranduil rested back against the tree, keeping an eye on his son next to him.

"Where is…Oliner?" She whispered darkly, finding it hard to say his name. She would never have even considered him as a possible suspect for the traitor.

"He has his orc camp situated a short distance away. He is not pursuing us. My only guess as to his actions is that he is trying to reach Mirkwood before us and claim that he has been appointed leader by my death. If that is the case, he will not want either me or Legolas getting within range of the Mirkwood elves. Though, I do not see why he did not just capture or kill us, it would save him the trouble of trying to keep us from Mirkwood." Thranduil looked sadly at his sweating son. "He has also poisoned Legolas."

Aluer stood gracefully and walked over to Legolas. "The prince? Will he live?"

The king scowled. "All I have for proof is Oliner's word that he will. I cannot figure out what the poison does. Only time will tell."

Aluer crouched down next to Legolas and stared at him sadly. "Be strong, Prince of Mirkwood."

Legolas looked at the she-elf and pain and confusion flitted across his eyes before they closed and he was plunged into darkness.

"Legolas?" Aluer reached forward, "Legolas!"

Thranduil looked down at his son and saw that he was unconscious. "Oh, what has he done to you?" The king whispered the words painfully, as if every syllable cut into his throat like an axe.

Aragorn bent forward and brushed Legolas' hair out of his face. "We will stop Oliner, my king. He will pay for both his treachery and for what he has done to Legolas."

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Oliner grinned darkly. "Yes, he has fallen unconscious."

"Who has?" Asked Kogan, Gorlag's replacement.

"Why, the princeling. I cannot place into affect my game unless his consciousness is susceptible to tempering. After I have him, however, not even an alert state of mind will protect him from my influence." Oliner closed his eyes and lay down on the rough ground.

"Now what are yer doin'?"

"Kogan, I am concentrating. That might not mean anything to you but to those with a brain; it means I need to be left in peace," Oliner growled impatiently at the orc who stood and stalked off, muttering death threats under his voice the entire way.

"At last," muttered the captain before closing his eyes and commencing the game.

_

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**TBC**

**A/N: There you have it! Chapter Eleven. At least the arrow didn't kill him.......... You know the deal, two days hopefully until the next chapter will be posted. That'll make it Tuesday. Looking for something to do? Well, you could always *cough* review *cough* Hehe, see you next time. :)**


	12. Disturbing Dreams

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: First of all, I'd like to thank Crazy1 (Pen Name: 2crazyfangirls) for providing some inspiration for the mental torture. Thank you! This chapter is the longest so far, over six thousand words. YAY!! Hope you guys like it. Another massive thanks to all my reviewers! What would I do without you? Wither and burn!! Also, look who is so very close to fifty reviews!!! That is so great, nearly fifty! You guys can make it possible!**

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Chapter Twelve: Disturbing Dreams

Legolas looked across and saw his father sleeping soundlessly. He stood and was surprised at the lack of resistance from his body. He expected every muscle in his body to spasm but he felt tranquil, as if he was soaking in warm water.

He made his way over to where Aluer slept and glanced down at her still form. He was silent, hardly breathing for fear of waking someone and having them worry about his movements. He knew he should be resting but he couldn't bare the monotony of lying down. He had to move.

He then went to Sinarel who was lying next to Aluer. He had a second where he wondered as to why there was no one keeping lookout but he moved the matter from his mind. It was not his concern.

Sinarel was breathing steadily, his unfocused eyes staring upwards. Legolas had been introduced to the warrior at one point when he had led a patrol but they were not close. He considered the elf an acquaintance but Sinarel had never done anything to make King Thranduil or himself doubt his loyalty. But then, neither had Oliner.

Next to the warrior elf, Raaen was still unconscious, the arrow shaft still protruding from his stomach. Legolas felt pity for the poor elf that would probably not make it unless they got to Mirkwood in the next day or two.

Legolas' head snapped in the direction of his best friend, Aragorn. The human had always been there for him, supporting his decisions, helping him out of trouble and never tiring of the prince's company. He loved Aragorn like a brother; the human was his only other family apart from Thranduil. Legolas would sacrifice anything for the human's safety. Then, he felt the guilt return for dragging the human into this mess. Everything had gone wrong, they would all most likely die. Aragorn could have been safe now, instead of in the middle of the forest with a mad elf baying for his blood, but instead, Legolas had asked him to come on this suicidal mission. He felt like a terrible friend, he had willingly endangered Aragorn's life for his own selfish purpose.

The golden archer felt his heart flood with panic and his eyes widen in fear as he saw the spot where Aragorn had been laying empty. There was a slight ruffling of the grass, proving that a body had rested there at one point, but there was no sign of the ranger now.

"Aragorn!" Legolas hissed, his voice low but still full of urgency.

"I am here mellon nin," Aragorn called softly from above.

Legolas looked up and saw the human jump down from the second branch of a tree. He ran forward instantly, "Be careful, Estel. You're arm."

"It is feeling better since you put it back in its place," Aragorn smiled lightly. "How do you feel?"

"Fine," Legolas smiled. "I mean it, completely fine. I no longer feel pain burn through my body with every movement. I cannot explain this strange occurrence."

Aragorn paused and frowned slightly. "Maybe the poison has healing properties. It might heal and then take effect. It is possible."

"Indeed," Legolas nodded. He wished he knew what the poison was going to do to him. The waiting was worse.

"You should be sleeping, mellon nin," Aragorn chimed worriedly.

"As should you." Legolas raised an elegant eyebrow.

"I am keeping watch."

The archer narrowed his eyes. "Why would my father and the others leave you to keep watch? You are a human and need sleep the most out of all of us."

"I offered," Aragorn said exasperatedly.

"You shouldn't have. Really. You will be too tired to travel in the morning and we have to reach Mirkwood as fast as we can." Legolas made no move to return to the tree and rest.

"Have you been told which route we will be taking?" Aragorn sighed at his friend's stubbornness.

"No, I don't think I was conscious long enough for them to have a chance to tell me." Legolas frowned slightly at the odd question but didn't spare it any further thought.

The ranger nodded thoughtfully. "Neither have I. Sinarel and King Thranduil have been discussing our options but I was in the tree and didn't catch the conversation. I guess we're both left in the dark for the time being."

"It appears so." Legolas grinned. "Do you mind if I join you on lookout?"

The human snorted silently. "Is there any way I can dissuade you?"

"No." Legolas ran forward and leapt up into the tree, enjoying the bliss at not having his back throb. Maybe it really had healed completely?

A minute later Aragorn joined him in the tree, grinning lopsidedly. "It is good to see you climbing with ease again, mellon nin."

"Very." Legolas gazed out at the surrounding forest, enjoying the peaceful air and lack of noise.

"Is it not peaceful up here?" Aragorn rested his head against the tree.

"It is beautiful. I love the woods; they will never cease to impress me." Legolas laughed, releasing his joy through the musical sound.

"It is good to hear you laugh again, Legolas," Aragorn whispered.

"What troubles you, Estel? I can sense you are avoiding something." Legolas turned to face his friend but saw a flash of metal followed by a sharp pain in his torso.

The prince looked down and saw a blade protruding from the left side of his chest. He moved his eyes along the cross guard and pommel of the blade, recognizing it with a cold knot in his stomach. He saw two familiar hands wrapped around the hilt, pushing the blade into his heart. "Estel……"

"Sorry Legolas. It looks like Oliner wasn't alone in his betrayal," Aragorn sneered, twisting the blade harshly in the elf's chest. Legolas released a small moan before his vision started to fade. "I always did have a soft spot for you though."

Legolas shuddered, knowing that Aragorn's sneering face would be the last thing he saw before he passed to the Halls of Waiting. He also knew this would be his last memory, his best friend, brother, twisting the blade in his heart. The prince didn't want this to be it but was powerless to stop the encroaching blackness swamping his consciousness. He felt his senses failing, dying……

His vision returned, focusing. He sat up and took in his surroundings. He felt his injuries flare like they hadn't before. His back cracked, the scabs breaking and trickling blood. His right shoulder was the worst of all. It burnt with every minute movement. Every breath caused his cracked rib to throb and his collarbone to scream in pain.

As his awareness came back and his injuries blazed he released a cry of agony, unable to stop it as feeling returned. He was certain he had died but there was too much pain for that. The last thing he remembered was Aragorn, sneering at him while he extinguished his life. He shuddered at the memory, moaning again as the action shook his fragile frame and burnt his injuries.

"Legolas, you should not even be awake, and you're sitting up? Lay back down, ion nin."

The prince turned at the sound of his father's voice. Thranduil sat up next to him and gently forced Legolas into a horizontal position. "For once, ion nin, don't be stubborn."

"Ada," Legolas croaked, his mind whirling. Why had his injuries begun hurting again? What happened to Aragorn? Why was he not dead?

"What is wrong, Legolas? Did you have a bad dream?" Thranduil asked, worried.

It had been worse than 'bad'. Legolas frowned, forcing his mouth to form coherent words. "I – I think so. Where is Estel?"

"He is asleep. He has been all night. Sinarel is keeping watch. He brought Raaen back and now it is early morning. Are you sure you're okay?" Thranduil frowned at his son slightly.

Legolas felt panic blossom in his chest. It had been a dream. But why would he dream of Aragorn, his greatest friend, killing him? It did not make sense. "I'm fine, Ada. My injuries pain me, making it hard to find a peaceful sleep."

The elven king nodded understandably, accepting the excuse. "Get some more sleep before we have to leave."

The archer nodded and waited for his father to lie back down and resume breathing heavily. Legolas did not know why he had lied to his father, it was just an impulse. He felt frightened of sleeping again in case the dream repeated itself. He had no inclination to experience the dream he had just had a second time.

So, with this decided, Legolas closed his eyes and allowed thoughts of home comfort him until it was time to depart for Mirkwood.

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"Are you awake, mellon nin?"

Legolas opened his eyes and looked across at Aragorn. He had not been sleeping but he had been lost in his memories. "Suil _[Greetings]_, mellon nin."

Aragorn smiled as the blue orbs looked at him and Legolas smiled. "Manen lle arad _[How are you today]_?"

"Ni trastannen _[I am tormented],_" Legolas whispered as images passed behind his eyes of Aragorn twisting the blade whilst sneering at him. He suppressed a shudder.

Aragorn shook his head sadly at his friend who was no longer smiling at him. He frowned as Legolas continued to eye him warily as if he was a snake who had not yet struck.

"Mar Beditham _[When will we leave]_?" Legolas tried to sit up but Aragorn held the elf down with little effort.

"Do not panic, Legolas, for we are leaving now. You will need to be supported for I do not think you could walk." Aragorn stood and gestured to Thranduil to come forward.

"Are you feeling better, ion nin?" Thranduil bent down and scooped Legolas up into his arms, flinching when the archer moaned as his wounds were antagonized.

"Yes. I think the rest has helped. Do you know what the poison is yet?" Legolas felt his stomach drop as his father hesitated. That did not bode well.

"No, Legolas, we do not. Be brave, for it may have just been a bluff on Oliner's behalf. It might have already left your body after causing that pain. There might not be a second stage." Thranduil sounded falsely hopeful.

Legolas doubted that the deranged captain would bluff. Oliner seemed to make authentic threats, ones that he carried through. Legolas knew that the poison had yet to take affect and that the problem would not simply 'go away'. He also knew that the king didn't believe what he had just said. "I want to try walking, Ada."

"Are you sure, Legolas? That might prove to be a large mistake," Thranduil warned.

"I want to try." Legolas looked at his father with proud eyes, trying not to wince as Thranduil set him on his feet and warily removed his supporting arms. Legolas wobbled slightly before taking a step forward, smiling when his legs held his weight.

"I will walk with you in case you need help." Aragorn touched his friend's left shoulder warmly, frowning when Legolas winced slightly out of fear, rather than pain. "Are you sure you're okay, Legolas?"

"Yes, Strider, I'm fine. I just want to walk on my own," Legolas mumbled before continuing forward at a slow walk. He felt bad for acting that way against Aragorn but every time he looked at the human's face he saw that horrible, twisted sneer followed by a gut-wrenching twist of the embedded blade. Legolas remembered feeling his life fading…

"Of course," the ranger muttered before heading over to Sinarel. He felt hurt by the prince's actions and could not understand Legolas' sudden aversion to him. He couldn't think of a reason why Legolas would not trust him, after all the adventures they'd been on. He blamed it on the elf's traumatized body, knowing that the archer's weariness must be affecting his mind.

Sinarel picked up Raaen and then walked after the prince, closely followed by Aluer. The she-elf had tried to convince Sinarel to let her carry Raaen today but he had refused, saying "Your head is still affected from your capture. Rest." She had argued and then Thranduil had stepped in, silencing them both with a glare. The elven king now sighed before continuing after the elves. Aragorn fell into step beside him.

"How do you think Legolas is faring?" Aragorn knew that said elf could, no doubt, hear this conversation but that did not deter him at all. He wanted Thranduil's opinion.

"He appears to be fine though I know that something good cannot come of the poison in his bloodstream. I just wish I knew what the poison does." Thranduil studied the golden elf at the front of the group, steadily staggering along. "He had a dream last night. A distasteful one."

"Did he talk about it?" The ranger asked, curiousity piqued.

"No, he kept it to himself." The king shook his head sadly. "He's too stubborn to talk about it."

"We'll see," Aragorn muttered. He glanced up and saw Legolas staring at him, the familiar stubbornness shining in his eyes. Then the look was gone and Legolas appeared cautious of the human. It made Aragorn's heart flip. Did Legolas not trust him?

"How far till Mirkwood?" Aragorn asked Thranduil, more for something to say rather than wanting to know.

"We will need to rest soon for Legolas' sake. At this pace, we will not arrive until sometime tomorrow. If we were moving at our fastest pace it would only take hours. With so many injuries sustained by Legolas and yourself we will need to go slowly so that you don't faint." Thranduil smiled slightly as he said the word 'faint'.

Aragorn chuckled. "I may be weary but I will not _faint_, my king."

The elf smiled and shot a playful look at Aragorn before redirecting his attention to their surroundings.

Legolas sighed as he heard his father mention the reasons that they were travelling slowly. He now felt the need to move faster, to prove that he was not weak. He is an elf, therefore he should not be the reason that they are moving _slowly. _Elves are agile, quick creatures that should not be the reason a company is travelling slow. If a human could keep up, so could he.

Legolas moved faster, ignoring his protesting shoulder and back. His forearm hurt as well but his shoulder drowned it out. With every movement, a jolt of fire would lance up his arm, twisting the muscles and causing his entire body to experience a second of pure, unrelenting agony. Pure pain without end. Then it would stop, only to return the next time he moved the arm. It made him feel frustrated and weak.

"Maybe you should take it easy, my prince." Aluer was beside him in a flash, smiling brightly despite the situation.

"No, Lieutenant, I refuse to slow us down. I give you my full assurance that I am fine," Legolas said as confidently as he could.

"As you wish, hir nin. I am only concerned for your wellbeing." She smiled gently before falling into step behind him again and speaking no more of the matter.

Legolas smiled slightly, glad at the fact that she had not pestered him further. He did not feel in the mood to explain himself. He forced his legs to carry him as fast as they could. It was like pushing an oliphaunt that didn't want to move. He had to focus on every movement of his leg. The lifting of the foot, the bending of the knee, and then thrusting the limb forward so that it made a stride. He then repeated the action with the other leg, soon losing track of his surroundings.

The prince couldn't deter his mind from the dream he had experienced so recently. Every detail had been so real, so vivid. It had been as real as his father was behind him now. It made him shudder every time he pictured his friend's leering face as he slowly died. _Why would Aragorn kill me? He is my friend, therefore I trust him. _That's what he kept repeating in his mind, defending the ranger's innocence. He was not going to let a dream place Aragorn's friendship and loyalty up for questioning. It was absurd. _Just a dream, just a dream……_

"Feel like telling me about that little dream you had last night?" Aragorn was beside him, unheard by the distracted elf.

"No," Legolas replied simply, gazing at his friend. He noticed how the ranger still cradled his arm and that his nose looked like a bruised, bloodied mass jutting out of his face. He once again felt sorry for dragging the human into this monstrosity of a mission.

"It will help if you talk about it," Aragorn quipped, trying to lighten the prince's miserable mood.

"I sincerely doubt that," Legolas growled.

"It will. Get it off your chest, mellon nin. You can confide in me, I'm your friend." Aragorn smiled and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. Legolas tensed but did not jerk away this time.

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"Legolas Greenleaf, I am ordering you as a friend to tell me this dark dream you had the misfortune of experiencing. Believe me, it will help." Aragorn tried to halt the prince but Legolas was insistent on walking at a steady pace. He knew the elf's wounds were getting to him and making him more irritable.

"You cannot order me, Strider. I am the Prince of Mirkwood so I do not have to tell you a thing." Legolas did not mean for the words to come out so harshly but he was powerless against his foul temper. Aragorn looked hurt.

"No, you don't have to," the ranger whispered, "but I thought you might find this journey easier if you had a sympathetic ear."

"I appreciate the concern, Estel, but I'd much rather keep my dreams to myself. I did not mean to offend you; you were only trying to help. I am sorry," Legolas sighed.

"Do not be sorry. I only wish you weren't so stubborn." Aragorn grinned good-naturedly at the elf, still trying to ease the mood.

"You should know by now, mellon nin, that I am always going to be stubborn. Just as you will always remain hard-headed." Legolas smiled but it did not reach his azure eyes.

"Indeed, mellon nin, indeed."

They continued through the forest in silence, not wanting to draw attention to any orcs that could possibly be in the area. Legolas forced himself onward, hiding his weariness and pain from the others. His body was screaming, threatening to buckle. He felt as if he'd drop, when his father announced that they would rest. Legolas hid his joy at hearing those words.

"Will we stay here until tomorrow morning, Ada? It is only evening." Legolas sat down next to Aragorn, leaning back onto the large, gnarled roots of the tree behind him. He winced as his back was jostled. They had managed to find a tiny, secluded clearing that would keep them safe from prying eyes.

"Yes, Legolas. You are too tired to continue today." Thranduil rested against another tree root in the small clearing, stretching out his throbbing leg. Next to him, Sinarel and Aluer tended to Raaen, trying to determine if they could remove the arrow without causing more harm than good.

"So it is because of me we will not continue?" Legolas' expression was that of disbelief and outrage.

"Everyone is tired, ion nin. You are the most injured apart from Raaen. We are staying here until tomorrow morning, end of discussion." Thranduil turned to Aluer and the pair started conversing in elvish about Raaen's wound. Legolas saw no reason to listen though he heard Aluer say that he would need a professional healer if they wanted to avoid infection.

"You should rest, Legolas. Resting is not an act of weakness." Aragorn studied his friend closely, growing concerned for the elf's irate behavior. Legolas had every reason to be in a bad mood but he could tell that something was weighing heavily on the elf's mind.

"I know," Legolas whispered before lying down. He felt his back scrape along the ground and hissed painfully. He then moved his arm into a position where it would not pain him when he slept and allowed his weariness to creep up on him.

He didn't want to sleep, for fear of another dream like the previous one but he felt unconsciousness tugging at his mind and he soon felt himself losing the battle to stay alert. Within moments he lost awareness of his surroundings and felt his body finally getting its much needed reprieve.

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Legolas felt himself being shaken awake. He opened his eyes and focused on the elf above him. He saw a pale, thin face, bright green eyes and locks of ebony hair. "Sinarel?"

"Yes, hir nin, we must hurry." Sinarel reached down and helped the prince to his feet.

"What is happening?" Legolas' head spun slightly from the blood rushing to it, resulting in a headache.

"We don't know how, but the orcs have located us," Sinarel said, panic lacing his tone.

"What!?" Legolas immediately became alert to the sounds of battle around him. He heard the sound of a bow singing nearby and swords clashing a short distance off to his left.

He turned to his right and saw Aluer held Sinarel's bow and was firing arrows in quick succession. Orcs were emerging from the bushes, grinning murderously.

"How did they sneak up on us?" Legolas turned back to Sinarel.

"We don't know, my prince. They snuck right up on us. By the time we realized they were here it was too late to escape." Sinarel looked over at Thranduil who was attacking orcs with Laythil's scimitar. The king swirled the blade back and forth, injuring orcs with every swipe of his arm. The elf's leg slowed him down, causing his fighting style not to be as swift as it should have been.

The prince immediately went to assist his father, kicking out at an orc and snapping its neck to the side in one fierce blow. He reached the elven king a moment later. "Ada, where is Aragorn?"

"I am here, mellon nin!" Aragorn called from a position behind them. The ranger was battling orcs with his sword. Legolas smiled at the ranger, before frowning slightly. "Estel, do not overexert your shoulder. You could injure it again."

"I will be careful, mellon nin." Aragorn shot a reassuring look to his friend.

"Do you need help, Estel?" Legolas called, dodging the blade of an orc as it sliced overhead.

"I think everyone is in need of help at the moment." Aragorn parried a blow aimed for his torso and thrust his sword deeply into the neck of the assaulting brute.

Legolas ran over to the ranger, grabbing an orc's arm and twisting it severely, causing it to cry out in pain. He then wrapped his right hand around the orc's chin and steadied his left behind its ear. He twisted sharply and it dropped to the ground.

"Nice one," Aragorn muttered as he reefed his sword out of the orc's neck.

"Hannon lle," Legolas grinned. He then drew his twin white knives from the scabbard on his shoulder. He had momentarily forgotten their existence.

The archer ducked and slashed out with his right blade, cutting through the bone in an orc's knee. He then stood swiftly, bringing up his left blade and slashed up the length of the creature's torso. Black blood sprayed out across the ground and the orc fell dead.

The next orc jabbed its blade at the prince before ducking a blow aimed for its head. Legolas growled in frustration and kicked out with his booted foot, hitting it in the nose sharply. He flinched as a sickening crunch resounded and the orc's nasal cartridge embedded itself in the brute's brain. It keeled over instantly.

"Legolas!" Aragorn called from across the clearing. Legolas wondered why the ranger would move to the other side, there was no reason. He looked up and saw his father at knifepoint.

The king was being held by his radiant, golden hair, a sword pressed to his throat. Legolas looked into the eyes of his father's attacker, unable to believe who he saw.

"Estel, what are you doing?" Legolas called.

Aragorn didn't say a word, only grinned sadistically before drawing the blade across the elf's throat. Blood ran down Thranduil's tunic and all Legolas could do was stare, open-mouthed as his father dropped to his knees, the light going out in his eyes.

"Murderer!" Legolas hissed, springing forward lightly on his elven feet.

"He had it coming," Aragorn whispered, bringing up his sword to meet Legolas' twin blades as they struck down for his face.

Legolas swirled to the side gracefully, lashing out with his blades, trying to hit the human in the side. Aragorn blocked and then ducked as Legolas' blades sliced above his head. Legolas was fighting with all the anger he felt in his heart at his father's death. He couldn't believe Aragorn had killed Thranduil.

Aragorn thrust his sword out sharply; hoping to hit Legolas in the thigh but the elf dodged and then swished his wrist faster than even an elf could see. Aragorn's blade flew across the ground to land at the foot of a tree. Legolas didn't pause, only brought his blades up to Aragorn's throat.

The prince pushed forward, forcing the human to step back until he was pressed against a tree. "Tell me why you killed my father!" He shouted, pressing his blade against the soft flesh of Aragorn's neck threateningly.

"Mellon nin?" Aragorn whispered, fear in his eyes.

"I am not your friend!" The prince roared, "How dare you slay my father before my very eyes and then refer to me as your mellon! Tell me why you did it! Are you in cohorts with Oliner?"

"Legolas, please, I have no idea what you're talking about. I never touched your father, I never would. You are my friend, and so is Thranduil. I'd never hurt either of you." Aragorn looked into the depths of Legolas' sapphire eyes.

Legolas looked at the ranger, trying to make sense of the situation. He risked looking around and saw that there were now no orcs in sight. The small clearing was undisturbed, no signs of battle. All he saw were three elves staring at him in shock. He immediately recognized his father.

"Ada?"

"Yes, ion nin. I am fine, Aragorn has not hurt me. Why do you attack your friend?" Thranduil took a step closer, glancing cautiously towards Legolas' blades.

The archer looked back to Aragorn's shocked, white face and lowered his weapons warily. He still didn't know what had happened. Then, he gasped softly and sunk to his knees as his back and shoulder began to scream again.

"Legolas!" Thranduil ran forward and picked up his son, carrying him back over to the tree he'd been sleeping under. He laid the trembling elf down gently.

"Legolas?" Aragorn asked cautiously, unsure as to how to speak to the elf. He had been terrified when Legolas had attacked him whilst he'd been sleeping. The elf had pushed the groggy ranger up against a tree and started shouting at him.

Legolas moaned as his injuries protested as to the movements he'd been making earlier. "Ada, what happened?"

"I'm not sure," Thranduil frowned. "Aluer was on lookout. She said she saw you lying peacefully when all of a sudden you leapt up and grabbed Estel. You pulled the elven blades from your back and positioned them at his throat, demanding to know why he had killed me. She said that you were too fast for her to stop, that's probably why your wounds are hurting."

"I saw him slit your throat, Ada. He held you still, you couldn't move, and then he drew the blade across your skin. I saw the light go out in your eyes," Legolas whispered, a tear escaping from the corner of his eye.

"Another dream?" Thranduil frowned.

"Legolas, mellon nin, I would never hurt your father. " Aragorn looked at Legolas wide-eyed, unable to believe the elf had dreamed of him killing Thranduil.

Legolas closed his eyes and tried to compose himself. That had been the second time he'd dreamt of the ranger betraying him in some way. He couldn't tell whether his subconscious was warning him of an imminent danger or whether the poison was starting to take effect. He knew that there were some poisons that messed with one's mind.

"Legolas, what did you dream? Tell me the details." Thranduil looked at the archer seriously.

"Ada…" Legolas trailed off, trying to think of a way he could avoid answering.

"I am not moving until you tell me, ion nin."

The prince sighed in defeat, too weak to continue arguing. "The orcs attacked, swarming the clearing. Sinarel woke me and I rushed to aid you. I fought, my injuries no longer troubling me, with Aragorn nearby. Then, he called my name from across this small clearing, and I looked up. I expected to see him in trouble, in need of aid. That was not the case."

The king waited patiently for Legolas to continue but the prince appeared to have no intention of speaking further. "Continue," Thranduil urged.

"There's not much more to tell, Ada." Legolas clamped his jaw stonily and avoided looking at Aragorn. He realized how much he was hurting the ranger but he couldn't stand to look at his face. Every time he did he saw that same, sadistic, sneering face that had killed himself and now his father. The memories were so real.

"Tell it anyway," Thranduil's voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.

Legolas set his jaw and whispered his reply. He did not enjoy explaining seeing his own father die. "He held you by your hair, his sword positioned at your throat. I had a moment to see the panic in your eyes before there was nothing. The sword slit your jugular and then nothing resided in your eyes. I moved forward and put my blades to Aragorn's throat."

The ranger gaped as Legolas explained. He still couldn't believe that the elf was dreaming about him committing murder. It broke his heart in more ways than one. It didn't help that now Legolas would not look at him. Did the elf really believe that he would hurt the king?

"Ion nin, it was just a dream. I trust Estel and so do you. Do not allow it to get to you." Thranduil sighed and laid his head back against the tree.

"I know, Ada." Legolas looked up at his father sadly. He felt his weariness heavily; it weighed on his shoulders like an oliphaunt.

"Is it the poison?" Aragorn asked from his position against the tree. He couldn't find the will to move.

"It is likely," the king answered. "Legolas, what was the first dream about?"

The prince bit his tongue and looked away from his father's face. "I woke up during the early morning to find Estel on watch. My injuries had healed and everyone else was asleep. I joined him and we discussed the strange occurrence of my injuries no longer paining me. I turned to him and he thrust his blade deep within my heart."

Aragorn let out a small gasp. Two dreams with him as a murderous traitor. He now understood why Legolas had preferred to keep it to himself. "Mellon nin, I would never hurt you or the king. You know that, don't you?"

The ranger felt his heart stop and his stomach knot as Legolas hesitated. It was only the briefest of pauses but it was there. "Of course, Estel," he finally muttered. His voice was devoid of emotion.

"Do you feel like trying to sleep again?" Thranduil asked, patting his son on the hand gently.

"I do not know. My body needs rest but I fear having another dream like the previous two," the prince spoke softly.

"I do not blame you if you wish to stay awake but I advise that you at least try and get some rest. Even if it is just resting your eyes. Relax, Legolas. I will be right here beside you. We'll discuss it in the morning." The king smiled sadly at the archer before returning to his own slumber.

Aluer touched the prince's shoulder comfortingly. "Things will seem clearer in the morning, my prince." She went over to her spot on the grass.

"Indeed." Sinarel leapt into the trees, taking over Aluer's watch. The two elves masked the emotions they felt at hearing of their prince's distress.

Legolas knew that in the morning, plans of action would be decided and that they would need to get to Mirkwood as fast as they could. In order for him to think clearly and move relatively fast, he would need to get some rest and allow his body to heal. Though, that would mean a possible repeat of the dreams he was having.

Legolas looked at Aragorn, noting the pain and sadness in the silver orbs. "It is okay, mellon nin." The elf smiled sadly before diverting his gaze and closing his eyes.

"Will you try and sleep again?"

"No, Estel, I do not want to risk hurting you a second time." Legolas smiled at his friend as convincingly as he could. He would rather be tired than do something he'd regret.

"You should try." The ranger turned and went back to his tree root. He knew that Legolas still trusted him, the dreams were just disturbing his mind. He sighed and allowed sleep to take him. Oliner would pay for this, he would pay for making Legolas suffer the way he was.

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**TBC**

**A/N: Well, there's number twelve!! Yay! Aren't you all happy, you now know what the poison does!! Mwahahaha. Hopefully two days till the next chapter. Thursday. Review; express your feelings for the way I'm messing with our dear elf's mind. Hehehe :)**


	13. Doubts

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: Oh, look, it is now chapter thirteen. Shall we see just how lucky it is for Legolas and Aragorn? I mean, thirteen isn't unlucky for _everyone_. Then again, our elf and ranger always seem to have pretty rotten luck :P Again, everyone's reviews are cherished, thank you!**

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Chapter Thirteen: Doubts

Legolas felt the sun before he saw it behind his closed lids. It tickled his skin, warming him up and allowing him to feel carefree. He gently pushed his eyelids open, reveling in the sliver of light pouring onto his face. He had chosen the perfect spot to lie.

He sat up slowly, making sure to avoid antagonizing his wounds. To his right, his father stirred slightly, his eyes refocusing. "Legolas?"

"Yes. Is it time to keep moving?" The prince rested back against the tree in a half-sitting position, making sure to mind his back.

Thranduil sat up, gasping when his leg made its presence known. "Soon, but first we must decide how we are going to do this. We must be prepared for Oliner to have already arrived by the time we reach Mirkwood. He has the advantage."

"I know. What if he has positioned orcs in the forest, in anticipation for our arrival?" The archer gingerly touched his left arm, wincing as his fingers brushed only lightly across the bandage.

"We need to get into Mirkwood, even if it means fighting a hundred orcs." The king's eyes glowed with determination. Legolas was glad to see that his father was not put off by the current circumstances.

"I will be there the whole way." Legolas smiled at his father, trying to show that he still had hope, even if it was only an inkling.

"Good morning."

Legolas turned in the direction of his friend's voice, forcing himself to smile. "Hello, Estel. Did you sleep well?"

"No, not really. How about you? Did you get some more rest?" Aragorn sat down next to Legolas, not missing how the elf shifted slightly.

"Yes," Legolas lied. He had not gone back to sleep, only continued to rest through the hours of early morning. "I did not have any more dreams like the previous ones."

"See, mellon nin? Things are looking better already." The ranger smiled.

Legolas nodded but didn't say anything. He remembered watching the blade fly across his father's throat, ending his life in a matter of moments. Then, he remembered looking into the face of the man who had murdered his father and king. That face, so full of amusement, joy, _pleasure_ at seeing the king dead. Legolas forced himself to believe that Estel, his friend, would never hurt himself or Thranduil, but slowly, steadily, he felt that belief failing. He couldn't help it, after those dreams which had been so real, so true; he found his trust for the human wavering. It broke his heart to feel this way about his friend and he knew, in some way, that the poison was responsible for his fading trust. He knew it had to be the poison, for he would never willingly suspect his friend of treachery. At least, he hoped it was the poison.

"One of us should scout ahead and determine whether he has arrived in the city or not." Aluer's musical voice drifted throughout the clearing, drawing Legolas' mind back to the conversation. He hadn't even notice the she-elf awaken.

"What if the orcs overpower the scout? We will be one man less and still be unaware as to Oliner's presence," Aragorn countered.

"Is there any alternative?" Aluer raised an elegant eyebrow in the human's direction.

"I believe the Lieutenant is right." Sinarel jumped down from the tree he had been keeping watch in. "We need to know whether Oliner has beat us to the city."

"If the scout is killed, we will still not find out." The ranger held his position stubbornly.

"If the scout is an elf, they can stay sheltered in the trees."

Aragorn paused, his mouth open but couldn't think of a reply to Sinarel's comment. "I still view it as a bad idea."

"There is no alternative," The elf said, smiling smugly.

"Who will be the scout?" Thranduil was clearly satisfied that the debate had been settled without him having to intervene.

"I will," Aluer looked at the king seriously.

"How much further till we get close enough for Lieutenant Aluer to scout ahead?" Legolas finally spoke.

"Not far. We are very close. Perhaps another hour or two of walking and then Lieutenant Aluer will be able to check the borders of the city," Thranduil smiled.

Legolas suppressed a shudder as his father mentioned more walking. He dreaded the idea of stumbling through the forest again but he was thankful that his struggle would soon be over. He just hoped that they arrived before Oliner.

"Let's go." Aragorn stood and proffered a helpful hand to Legolas. He felt nauseous when the elf pretended not to notice and struggled up by himself.

Legolas closed his eyes and pretended not to notice Aragorn's fallen expression and outstretched hand. "Yes, we should go," he whispered.

"Do you need support, ion nin?" Thranduil asked. From his expression he either didn't realize Legolas' aversion to the ranger or he did and chose to ignore it.

"No, Ada, I will manage."

Thranduil nodded, not happy that Legolas was being stubborn but not wanting to push the elf. He began to limp off into the forest. Legolas strapped his bow and quiver to his back, ignoring the pain they inflicted, before following him.

Aragorn watched as Sinarel and Aluer stalked into the forest. Aluer was carrying Raaen today, she had reached him first. He slowly began to walk after them, lost in thought. He didn't know what to make of Legolas' dreams. He knew that the poison was responsible and that they would need to kill Oliner in order for its effects to cease working. That knowledge, however, didn't lessen the hurt he felt every time the prince looked at him, that same cautious, untrusting look on his face. It was slowly ripping his heart to shreds.

Legolas caught up to his limping father, gasping as his shoulder was jostled. "Ada, will we kill Oliner?"

Thranduil kept his face impassive. "Yes. Theses dreams you are having are no doubt, related to the poison. Oliner said that you were 'connected' to him. I am taking this to mean that he is influencing your dreams in a way. There is no other way if we want your dreams to return to their normal state."

Legolas nodded. He knew that Oliner had to pay. He still felt uncomfortable with ending an elven life. Elves were immortal and valued life above all else. To end an endless life was a crime that could not be forgotten. "Ada, I do not want to hurt Estel again."

"I know, ion nin. He understands that the poison is messing with your mind. Do not worry, the fault is not yours and he knows that. However, your wounds are not minor and you will need to rest. That is inevitable."

"I don't want to sleep again," Legolas whispered, knowing that his father would hear him.

Thranduil felt a tear slide down his cheek. It broke his heart to see his son in such a state. The physical injuries inflicted on the prince by his captain were bad enough. The king had seen his son's back, forearm and shoulder. It made him want to murder Oliner but at the same time death would seem too easy for the traitorous elf. Now, Oliner was torturing Legolas via his mind. He wanted to scream. Just scream and release his emotions through noise. But he was a king, and a king must keep his composure even when all is lost and everyone else is panicking. "If you do not sleep and allow your body time to heal, Legolas, you will grow weaker with every movement."

"Ada, if I have another dream like the last two, it will force my trust of Aragorn to wither. I do not want to hurt him so." Legolas closed his eyes as every step on the uneven ground forced his back to burn. "I can't help it Ada. Every time I look at him I see the murderer from my dreams. He is my friend and I'm making him hate me."

Thranduil looked at his son firmly. "Legolas," he spoke slowly, "Aragorn will never hate you. You two have been friends for a timeless period and that will not change. You cannot help that Oliner is doing this and he _will_ be stopped so that you can find peace. Until Oliner can be…_dealt_ with, we will all have to understand how hard this is for you. He does not blame you. This I know. If you are still not convinced, ask him yourself."

Legolas opened his eyes and studied the ground. He knew that Aragorn was one of the most understanding friends he had but that didn't change the amount of pain he was inflicting on the human by being wary of him. Sure, the poison was responsible but, ultimately, it was his fault. If he was stronger, he would realize it was a dream when he was dreaming it. He was not worthy of the title 'Prince of Mirkwood'.

"Well, ion nin?" Thranduil urged.

"Yes, Ada, I know he will understand." Legolas hated lying through his teeth. How could Aragorn ever forgive him for doubting his loyalty?

"You should go and walk with him, Legolas."

Legolas nodded to his father before moving slowly to the back of the group where Aragorn was walking. The ranger smiled and his eyes glinted with joy as the elf approached him. "Legolas, mellon nin."

"Estel," he forced himself to smile. He avoided eye contact, knowing that if he saw his friend's eyes, he would relive the past two nightmares. "How are you?"

"Concerned." Aragorn gingerly touched Legolas' good shoulder. He felt the elf stiffen considerably and could tell, with a deteriorating heart, that the prince was using all his self control not to pull away.

"Hannon lle," Legolas murmured. He couldn't help but wince as Aragorn patted him gently. That same man, twisting the blade. His life, fading, melting…

"Legolas," Aragorn drew the elf's attention back to him. He didn't miss how his friend refused to look at him. "I love you like a brother. I consider you a brother."

The prince smiled sadly. "I-I know, Aragorn. I know." He looked up, staring into the same face that he had seen kill his father. "That is what makes it so unbearable."

The human removed his hand and stared at Legolas. "What is unbearable, Legolas?"

"Watching you betray me. Estel, I saw you kill me. You twisted the blade in my heart, sneering as my life dwindled, fading and disappearing. Then, you did the same with my father. You, my best friend and brother."

"Legolas, I never did that! I never would." Aragorn felt his heart snap, heard it crack in several places.

The elf's crystalline blue eyes focused on him, conveying sadness, pain, guilt and fear. It killed Aragorn to see Legolas look at him with fear. He couldn't stand to see it, so he looked away. He averted his gaze and cried silent tears. He would kill Oliner for this; he would make Legolas trust him again.

Legolas felt wretched. He couldn't think of another word to describe what he felt. Aragorn had done nothing to deserve this mistrust, and yet he was receiving it. The elf closed his eyes and kept walking. He didn't look at the ranger again, knowing he'd see the murderous monster from his dreams.

_He killed your father. He killed you! Remember how you sat in the tree, laughing lightly? He talked to you like a friend; you had no reason to doubt. You turned to him, expecting to give guidance, and instead, he committed the worst act of treason imaginable. Remember what it felt like when he twisted the blade? Remember it twisting your heart? Your own blood ran down your torso, staining the tree and leaves. He sneered, all friendship gone. Can you trust him?_

Legolas hadn't realized he had stopped walking. He looked up and saw the rest of the group staring at him. He had heard a voice…in his head. It had sounded like his conscience. If so, if it really was his conscience, did that mean that he didn't trust Aragorn? He knew that the voice was of his own making, it had to be. To try and blame it on something else would be stupidity. Deep down, he really didn't trust his greatest friend.

"Ion nin, what is it?" Thranduil asked, breaking through Legolas' thoughts.

The younger elf looked up and smiled weakly. "Nothing, I am fine."

Thranduil shook his head slightly but continued to stagger through the forest. Sinarel threw an unconvinced glance at his prince before following, Aluer and Raaen behind him. Legolas started to walk again and noticed Aragorn approaching him.

The ranger grinned lopsidedly. "Mellon nin, you and I both know that your state cannot be considered 'fine'. So, what is _really_ wrong?"

"Nothing, as I said before." Legolas did not mean for his voice to be so harsh but was powerless against his mood.

"You can tell me, Legolas. I am your friend." Aragorn went to clasp his friend's shoulder but the elf moved away.

"I am weary, is all." The archer didn't look up, dreading the expression on the human's face. He had no desire to see the hurt he was causing.

"I understand."

The prince felt his eyes sting and looked up to see Aragorn had moved further ahead, to walk beside Aluer. Legolas felt as if he'd break down. What was wrong with him? Why could he not trust Aragorn?

_Because he killed your father. You helped him, rushing to his aid in the midst of battle and how did he repay you? He took your trust and turned it against you. All he wanted was to get to your father. Did you see the panic in your father's eyes as Aragorn held him by his golden hair? Did you see the _fear_? Who is more important, a ranger from the north, a _human_, or your father and king?_

Legolas clenched his head in his hands, willing the voices to stop. Why was he telling himself this?

_Because you know it's true. He can't be trusted; he wants to kill you and your father. Remember his leering face?_

_No!_ Legolas forced his head to stop pounding. _He is my friend and I trust him. It's the poison._

_You can't keep blaming it all on the poison. He felt no remorse, twisting his blade in your gut. He enjoyed watching you die. _

_They're just dreams! Dreams!_ Legolas screamed mentally.

_Will you still say that when he really does betray you? An _elf_ wouldn't be that stupid._

_I am an elf!_

_You do not possess the intelligence of a firstborn. There is no such thing as a 'stupid elf'. If you were an elf, you would be able to see past his façade of innocence._

_He's my friend! I trust him with my life!_ Legolas felt his knees hit the ground hard but was unaware of the pain.

_Yes, and look how he treated your life. He plunged his sword into your chest when you were weaponless. He is a coward and you are a fool if you do not see him for what he is before he kills you and your father. _

_They are just DREAMS! It's the poison._

_If you really believed that, then this conversation between yourself would not be happening. _

"Come, Legolas, we are nearly there. I will carry you." Thranduil stooped down and collected his son into his arms.

"No, Ada, I am fine." Legolas felt his head pounding. It felt as if a troll were bashing on it.

"You say that Legolas, but you are not. You are tired and your body needs rest. I am carrying you." Thranduil moved forward, limping heavily.

"Hir nin, I can carry him. You do not want to strain your leg." Sinarel stepped forward and held out his arms expectantly.

The king shook his head. "No, I want to carry him."

The warrior nodded but stayed close incase his liege needed him quickly. The king was gasping with every step.

"Sinarel, take Raaen," Aluer called from behind the ebony-haired elf. "I must go ahead now. We are close to Mirkwood."

The elven warrior nodded and accepted the unconscious elf. "Nadirio _[Be careful]_."

Aluer smiled before gliding into the forest silently. She ran forward as if she were dancing before leaping up and grabbing the branch above her. She flipped up acrobatically and disappeared into the foliage.

"She will be okay," Thranduil whispered, continuing to stagger ahead.

"How long till we stop?" Aragorn asked solemnly. He felt as if he shouldn't speak, as if he didn't belong. He knew that it was foolish to feel that way but he couldn't help it.

"Not far. We just need to get into a more secluded area." The king disappeared into the bushes. Sinarel stalked after him like cat, gliding along the ground.

The ranger followed. He knew that once they found a place to rest, Legolas would need to sleep. He didn't want the elf to have another dream with him as the antagonist. He hated the thought of hurting Legolas, even if it was just in the prince's mind. Again, the feeling to kill Oliner and end Legolas' torment returned.

"Sleep, ion nin," Thranduil whispered as he laid Legolas on the ground under the protective roots of a tree.

"No…" The archer whispered back. He couldn't handle another dream.

"Legolas, you will sleep. I'm not having you pass out." The king sat down next to his son and began to examine his thigh wound. It was a dark purple colour and dried blood stuck around the edges. Thranduil sighed and ripped off another piece of tunic to redress the wound.

Legolas sat up, groaning as his wounds protested. He took his bow from his back, along with his quiver and scabbard. He would put them away so that if he tried to attack Aragorn again he would not be armed.

_No, don't! You cannot risk being unarmed. Keep your weapons close._

Legolas flinched as the voice returned. How could he really believe Aragorn would betray him? Surely that voice was not his.

_More lies……_

Legolas clamped his eyes shut and laid his weapons down next to him. He then rested back against the tree and heaved a deep sigh. He knew he needed sleep but was it worth the risk of hurting his friend?

"Sleep, ion nin," Thranduil chimed, rubbing his son's cheek gently.

The choice for Legolas was involuntarily as he soon found his eyes reopening and his surroundings fading, merging. His awareness slipped and he knew no more.



Oliner grinned as Mirkwood became clearer with every step. He turned to Kogan, smiling hideously. "Are they in place around the city?"

"We 'ave covered as much of the area as we can. Do not worry, they won't get past us," Kogan said, grinning toothily.

"Are they outside the perimeter? We don't want them getting seen by a patrol." Oliner had only just managed to sneak himself and Kogan past. He had been able to detect patrols with his elven hearing and, being a captain, had a fair idea where they were situated.

"Yes," Kogan nodded.

"Good. From the princeling's mind I have learnt that they are a short distance away. They have sent out dear Lieutenant Aluer to learn what she can. She will have some very bad news for her _king_." Oliner stayed concealed in the bushes. He would not enter until he had removed Thranduil and Legolas as threats. He would wait until the orcs caught sight of them, plus he would be able to gleam the route they were taking from Legolas' mind. The only reason he was here now was to make sure that no one snuck past him and into the city. Tomorrow, he would begin hunting for them.

Oliner felt slightly irked that they were still heading for the city persistently. He had wanted to try out the poison on Legolas but he had also expected to slow them down. They were still heading for their destination at a relatively fast pace. He had hoped that, with the prince experiencing the dreams, Thranduil would have taken longer to reach the city. He knew that when he located their group, he would have to kill them. He couldn't risk them reaching the interior of the city, where they would be able to make their existence known. He cursed slightly, if he had killed them earlier then he would not have to hunt them down now. He had expected the poison to prove to be a larger complication for them. Still, it was fun to torture Legolas through his mind.

"How did you learn that?" Kogan snorted disbelievingly.

"_Sir_," Oliner reprimanded.

The orc scowled. "Of course _sir_, I meant no disrespect."

The captain grinned. "I learnt that because I am in his head."

"Whose?"

"Stupid brute!" Oliner glared at the creature foully. "The _princeling_. Thanks to the poison and his unconsciousness, I have established a permanent hold in his mind. It took less time than I thought. It must be due to his weariness."

"How long are we gonna wait out 'ere?" The orc clenched its jaw to control itself. None of the orcs were happy about being forced under an _elf's_ command but Sharky had made them.

"Till morning. Remember, if any elves get past your orcs, I'll hold _you_ personally responsible." Oliner smiled before turning and scaling the nearest tree.

"Where are you goin'?" The orc turned and scowled as he saw the elf climb a tree. He _hated_ trees.

"I'm not staying down there for risk of being discovered. You are going to head back out and make sure that the orcs are doing their job. Also, I want Laythil located. It disappoints me that a single elf managed to avoid all the orcs. Find him and try not to get spotted by a patrol." Oliner leaned back against the trunk. It infuriated him that the ridiculous orcs had lost Laythil. They had chased the elf but lost track of him when he took to the trees. Oliner had no idea where the warrior was and it unnerved him.

Kogan snarled but moved further into the trees. He hated the fact that elves could jump out at him at any second and he wouldn't know till they shot an arrow through his neck. He'd just have to be careful and rely on luck.

Oliner shook his head as the orc moved away. They truly were horrid creatures. "Now, princeling, are we ready for our session? One final push should do the trick," he whispered into the air. He had the gruesome dream all planned out for Legolas. This time, he would make the prince both fear and hate his friend. He would need to make the dream trully terrible for the prince, things were going too slow. He smiled as he pondered all his sadistic ideas. His plan would work, he just knew it would.

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**TBC**

**A/N: Yay! Chapter Thirteen! Well, was that unlucky? Hehehe. Hopefully, Chapter Fourteen will be up on Saturday. Remember to review!!! :)**


	14. To Break A Mind

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: Thank you everyone for your reviews. I love reading your thoughts, feedback, advice and help. I have had some errors pointed out to me and it really does help me keep a keener eye out for them in the future. Thank you!!! Here is chapter fourteen. Things might get a little gruesome in the next two or three chapters. Hehe. I'm just warning all those who don't like torture, this is going to get pretty twisted. I think my plot bunny ate a carrot that had been in the sun too long...........**

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Chapter Fourteen: To Break A Mind

Aluer leapt over the small gap to the next tree branch. Her graceful movements left every single leaf in the trees undisturbed. Her light weight also prevented the branches from cracking or bending.

She ran forward, her feet seeming to hover over the bark and sprung to the next tree. She had been keeping careful attention to how far she was getting. Soon, she'd be in range of the patrols. She counted that as a good thing, they could help. Though, if Oliner was here first, then there were probably orcs hiding just outside the patrols reach. She just hoped she'd be able to avoid them from her position in the trees. Orcs had the tendency to be unsuspecting of foes from above.

She flew to the next tree, the ground whizzing below, a myriad of green and brown. The forest was silent, allowing Aluer's ears to distinguish any noise that rang through the quiet. It was an advantage, in her case.

As her feet hit the wood of the next tree, she stopped. Off to her left, the soft padding of feet could be heard. _Orcs, _she thought to herself before crouching down and straining her ears. It was getting closer, approaching her.

She frowned as it seemed to increase, as if there were more than before. The foot patterns were irregular, not matching that of an elf or orc. She peered through the leaves, watching the ground intently for the creature that was about to emerge.

Aluer felt herself blush visibly at how stupid she was for not recognizing the sound. She jumped down from the tree and landed lightly on the ground, making sure to listen intently. When she confirmed that there were no orcs in the immediate area she approached Oloser, patting his neck gently.

"An-uir thiad lîn 'ell _[Ever is your sight a joy]_," she whispered soothingly to the horse.

Aluer smiled as the horse nuzzled her shoulder, calmed by the elvish she had spoken to it. She gently ran her fingers through Oloser's white mane, whispering elvish to it all the while.

She studied the horse's injury. It was not too deep and was crusted with blood. It ran down Oloser's shoulder blade, marring the white coat. As she touched it gently, the horse shifted and whinnied, expressing its discomfort. She knew that if a person were to mount the horse, their legs would brush against the wound and cause Oloser further pain. She was thinking of Legolas and how hard it was for him to keep stumbling through the forest. If he could ride, even for a short while, it would take some of the strain off of his body.

Aluer was still greeting the horse when she heard a noise behind her. She turned sharply, fist raised in defense, only to lower it and stare as the sight of a strung bow greeted her face.

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Legolas glanced over at Aragorn, wondering if he should approach the ranger and talk about the dreams. He knew how badly he had wounded the human and he hated himself for it. He glanced around again at the other sleeping elves and stood, heading for Aragorn.

"Legolas," Aragorn smiled in the elf's direction as enthusiastically as he could.

"Estel, are you keeping watch?" Legolas sat down next to the ranger, trying to be as casual as possible.

"Yes, why are you awake?" The human risked placing a hand on the prince's shoulder and, to his immense relief, Legolas allowed the contact.

"I have slept enough."

"Did you have another dream?" Aragorn asked cautiously.

"No, I had a peaceful sleep." Legolas bit his lip. "Estel, you are my greatest friend."

"I know, mellon nin. You are mine as well." Aragorn smiled genuinely this time.

"No matter what these dreams make me do to you, that will never change," Legolas said seriously, not averting his gaze from the ranger's eyes. "I will always trust you."

"Shame," the human whispered.

Legolas frowned slightly but before he could answer or move, Aragorn's hand moved from his shoulder to his hair, tangling in the blonde locks fiercely. Legolas instinctively pulled away but the human had a firm hold of his hair and pulled his head back, moving his sword to Legolas' throat.

"Do not make a sound and I'll think about letting Thranduil and Sinarel live." Aragorn grinned, moving into a standing position. Legolas had no choice but to rise with him.

"What are you doing?" The elf hissed, panicking slightly.

"What I should have done ages ago," Aragorn sneered. "Come, let's walk. Try anything and I'll slit your throat without a moment's hesitation."

"No…" Legolas moaned, unable to believe what was happening.

"Oh, yes, mellon nin. There is no use denying it." Aragorn steered Legolas out of the bushes and continued to move him through the trees.

"Estel, don't," Legolas pled desperately.

"Shh, Legolas, we aren't far enough away yet to start raising our voices." The ranger jiggled the blade threateningly, causing a line of blood to appear across the prince's neck.

Legolas chewed on his lip, ignoring the metallic taste that soon assaulted his taste buds. Aragorn continued to push him through the forest, getting farther and farther away from Thranduil and Sinarel. They walked for what seemed hours, trudging through the forest silently. Legolas felt like he was about to collapse due to the emotional stress he was experiencing, when they stopped.

"Now, Legolas, do not struggle or things will only be worse for you. I am going to tie you to that large tree over there. See?" He gestured to one of the widest trees in the area but Legolas did not pay attention.

The human pushed the elf forward harshly and tied him around the trunk so that his arms were outstretched and his back was to the bark. "There, not so hard."

Legolas turned cold, hate-filled blue eyes on his friend, the human he had repeatedly trusted, and spat in his face. "Not at all."

Aragorn grimaced and wiped the spit from his cheek, scowling at Legolas darkly. "You are going to regret that later, _elf_. I thought that you would be more courteous, being a prince and all."

"Aragorn, I share no respect for traitors!" Legolas ground out between clenched teeth, glaring hideously at the ranger.

"I don't need respect, Legolas, for soon all you shall be is a broken soul at my command. So, are you done being confident?" Aragorn reached into the folds of his boot and pulled out a knife. He showed it to Legolas maliciously. "Ready to begin?"

Legolas clenched his jaw and allowed the fire in his eyes to burn venomously. "Why are you doing this? What purpose do you gain from torturing me?"

"Apart from enjoyment?" Aragorn sheathed his sword and played with the knife fondly, spinning it between his fingers. "Let's just say that Oliner has the right idea."

"Oliner is a sick, twisted, deranged sadist who has no care for anyone but himself. How could you ally yourself with that monster?" Legolas felt repulsed.

Aragorn grinned slightly. "I do not ally myself with him, personally. I ally myself with Sharky and the immense power he holds in this world. He has power you can't possibly picture, no matter how hard you try. I've chosen a side, Legolas, and you're not on it."

"How will doing this accomplish anything?" The prince could still not understand the motive behind Aragorn's obvious intention to torture him. He felt like he'd vomit, hearing these words from the mouth of someone he'd considered a friend.

"Legolas, I am going to break you. Fully and completely snap you like a twig. Once you are nothing more than a whimpering mound of flesh, I'm sure Sharky will discover a use for you."

Legolas felt his stomach knot. "So, 'Sharky' doesn't even want me tortured? You're doing it because you want to?" Legolas hated the sound of his voice, it was disbelieving and hurt.

"That's right. Looks like we've got some time on our hands. Let's spend it together." Aragorn stalked closer, knife held lovingly at his side.

"My father will wake up soon. He will come looking for me," Legolas said quickly, hoping that it would be enough to prevent his former friend from commencing with this task.

"Not after the drink he accepted from me last night," Aragorn smirked.

"He better not be hurt," Legolas warned.

The human sighed. "Do not fear, elf prince, for he is fine. He'll just be unconscious for awhile."

Legolas narrowed his eyes, glad that his mind was clearing. "This is another dream. I know it this time; you're not really my best friend. I am sound asleep and you are Oliner, messing with my mind."

Aragorn laughed, drawing up close to the prince and resting his chin on his shoulder. "We'll see if you are still of that opinion when we finish here."

"Don't do this, Oliner. I know it's you and this will not do anything. I love Aragorn like a brother, he is my truest friend and nothing you do in these dreams will change that!" Legolas growled threateningly at the human.

"Legolas, it is I. The sooner you accept that, the sooner your mind can be at peace." Aragorn lifted the knife and made a long, clean cut down the elf's fair cheek. He watched as droplets of blood pooled out of the skin and ran down Legolas' face.

"You are Oliner," Legolas insisted, ignoring the pain in his cheek. It was bearable, he didn't even flinch.

"Remember that time when we were sitting in that large tree near the lake? You were saying how impeccable an elf's balance was and I was remaining skeptical. You were saying how humans had the tendency to fall from tree branches due to their poor sense of balance. I had objected with the defense that I had never once fallen from a tree only to have you spring at me with the intention of knocking me into the lake. Your foot caught on the tree branch and you tumbled into the lake instead, much to my amusement. Do you remember that?"

Legolas didn't say anything, only set his jaw and looked away from the taunting face of his friend. He didn't know what to think anymore.

"I asked you a question. Do you remember that?" He paused, awaiting Legolas' reply. None was forthcoming so he cut down the elf's other cheek and moved so he was breathing on the prince's face. "Well, do you?"

"Yes," Legolas whispered, closing his eyes.

"Now, I ask you, would anyone other than Aragorn have that memory?"

Legolas glared into the human's eyes, trying his best to convince himself that the man in front of him was not Aragorn. But, the memory he had just recited would only be known by the ranger. He felt sick at the thought that this was really happening. He wished it was a dream, wished it strongly.

"Hmm, you're not answering again. I'll have to teach you some manners," Aragorn said, smiling at Legolas with an evil glint in his eyes.

"You will never _teach_ me anything!" Legolas pulled against the ropes, straining his wrists.

"We'll see." Aragorn waved the knife in front of Legolas, trying to intimidate him. The elf didn't react, only turned his eyes into pits of ice-cold steel.

Before Legolas could react, Aragorn had made a cut across the elf's collarbone. The prince suppressed a wince and kept his face impassive, ignoring the crimson liquid dribbling down his torso.

The ranger grinned, lifted up Legolas' tattered tunic and made a cut around the elf's navel, slicing a circle into his stomach. Legolas felt a wave of nausea flood over him but quickly pushed it away and ground his teeth together. Aragorn smiled.

"Having fun?"

Legolas scowled. "Is that rhetorical or do you really need an answer?"

Aragorn grinned and lifted the knife, dripping with Legolas' blood up to the elf's nose. "This is your blood, mellon nin."

"Observant," Legolas drawled. "Where do you get your intelligence from? Trolls?"

Aragorn crossed his arms. "We will have to find a way to control that tongue of yours. I could cut it out." He moved closer, grabbing Legolas' chin with his hand and forcing his jaw open.

Legolas felt his eyes widen and a cold knot of fear grip his stomach. He thrashed wildly, trying to reef his head out of Aragorn's reach. "No!"

"What's the matter, Legolas? Aren't you having fun?" Aragorn released his jaw and sneered mockingly.

"No!" The elf spat venomously.

"Too bad." Aragorn scrutinized the elf. "Elves are such pretty creatures. Impossibly flawless skin, finely pointed ears, long beautiful hair, diamond eyes. So many creatures envy what you have." He rubbed Legolas' hair gently, sending a jolt of fear through the elf.

"Don't touch me," The prince whispered dangerously.

"What can you do to make me stop?" Aragorn rubbed the point of the elf's right ear gently. His finger traced over the angular tip, a sadistic idea occurring.

Legolas jerked his head as far out of the human's reach as possible, cursing silently as Aragorn's hand followed him. He felt both nauseous and terrified at Aragorn's next words.

"I wonder how pretty you'd look without your finely-tipped ears."

"No," Legolas' voice broke slightly. "Aragorn, we are friends."

"So you finally realize who I am, then. That won't save you, Legolas." He grabbed Legolas' ear point, holding him in place.

"Mellon nin," Legolas whispered as he felt the cold steel placed behind the tip of his ear. A single swipe forwards and he knew, with a sickening jolt, what would happen.

"Am I still your friend? I thought I'd crossed a line." Aragorn laughed as the elf shivered against the cool metal of the knife.

"Estel, I know that you remember our friendship. Don't do something you'll regret." Legolas tried to pull away but Aragorn held him firm, drawing the blade further against the ear. The prince felt his eyes bulge out of his head. He couldn't believe what Aragorn was doing.

"I won't regret this one bit," Aragorn whispered right next to the elf's ear before thrusting the blade forward harshly.

Legolas winced as the human's hot breath touched his sensitive ear. Then he felt something jolt through his ear that was so much worse than breath. Nausea, accompanied by several convulsions, rolled over him and he found himself dry-reaching desperately. Blood poured down his face, emanating from his ear. His vision turned red and hazy, blocking out his sight. He heard someone moaning and realized it was himself.

He felt vomit pour from his mouth and couldn't find the will to be thankful that none of it landed on his body. His vision cleared slightly and he looked at Aragorn who was smiling wickedly. He moaned again as his ear throbbed in time with his heart, sending ripples of agony through his entire head.

"How did that feel?" Aragorn held up the perfectly pointed tip for Legolas to see. It was clean except for a few drops of blood on the end of it.

Legolas felt himself dry-reach again and closed his eyes to block out the view of his severed ear tip. He tried to find his voice but all that came out was a hoarse cough followed by several more moans and gasps.

"Answer me when I'm talking to you," Aragorn said sweetly, as if he hadn't just tortured the elf hideously. "How did that feel?"

"Nin gweriannel _[You betrayed me]_," Legolas whispered, thankful his voice didn't break. He clenched his mouth and heaved as more nausea ran throughout his body.

Aragorn moved the point closer to the elf, pushing it against his bleeding cheek. "We're only just beginning." He went around the side of the tree and Legolas lost sight of him. He could glimpse the human's back but he couldn't see what Aragorn was doing with the knife.

Legolas felt Aragorn grab his left hand and pull it against the bindings, straining it even more. He felt the cold blade of a knife pressed against one of his fingers. "W-what are you doing?" He whispered, wincing as his ear exploded again.

"Wait and see."

A second later Legolas suppressed a scream and groaned as his finger exploded in agony. He thought for a second Aragorn had severed the extremity but he felt his finger move as he thrashed against the ropes. Every nerve in his finger was on fire, much the same as his ear and he couldn't stop another gasp from escaping his shaking lips.

Aragorn moved in front of the elf, his grin even larger. Without a word he held up a fingernail, waving it in front of the elf's eyes. Immediately, Legolas knew what had been done. Aragorn had cut his fingernail out. He shuddered involuntarily.

"One down, four to go."

Legolas moaned as Aragorn moved back around the tree and repeated the foul action, ripping off his fingernail. He swallowed the rising vomit in his chest and trembled against his will.

"Two."

"Daro_ [Stop]_!" Legolas commanded. It was not a plea.

"No," Aragorn laughed. He gripped the prince's middle finger, smiling as Legolas curled his hand into a fist to prevent further damage. "Don't be difficult." He forced the hand open and slipped the knife under the fingernail, ignoring the blood that started to flow from several cuts, and flipped it up harshly. He was satisfied when Legolas hissed and shuddered.

"Estel, don't make this mistake." Legolas closed his eyes and focused on his breathing as his hand and ear throbbed in unison. Especially his ear…

"If you are going to do something, you may as well carry through with it. Besides, I've always wondered what it would feel like to be able to cause an elf pain. You get to be my subject, you should feel honoured." Aragorn started to unclench the fourth finger.

_Why can't this be a dream! No, it must be, it has to be. Aragorn, my friend, wouldn't do this. No, he wouldn't. This has to be a dream, it has to be. _Legolas tried to mentally encourage himself.

"Hmmm, silent again." Aragorn removed the fourth fingernail, making Legolas moan loudly and writhe against the tree. "We still have lots of things to try, don't get all weak on me now."

"I will not give you the satisfaction of breaking me. You can try, but you will fail," Legolas forced back the weariness in his voice, thankful when it sounded firm.

"That's your opinion now. Let's see what you have to say the next time I ask you."

Legolas bit his tongue as the nail was forced from his last finger. He glared at the human furiously. "Satisfied?"

Aragorn grinned. "Not nearly." He gently patted Legolas on the shoulder, smiling at him in a friendly manner.

"What else do you have planned? Or are you just going to smile at me?" Legolas' voice was full of mocking and confidence despite the pain his ear and hand were experiencing.

"Lots of stuff," Aragorn said before thrusting the knife deep within Legolas' left upper arm. They both heard a crunch as it went straight through flesh and stuck into the bark of the tree.

It took a moment for Legolas to realize what had happened. A sharp pain shot up his arm and he cried out, unable to silence the noise. Aragorn giggled with amusement.

"It's so great! The feeling you gain from hurting an elf. I should have tried this out a long time ago. You, a fair, immortal, beautiful creature, sometimes more fascinating than any other being, crying out in pain that I cause. Pure bliss, that's what I'm feeling." Aragorn rubbed Legolas' bleeding cheek gently, smiling when the prince shied away from his touch.

Legolas felt his arm start to dull down to a steady throb, the worst of the pain over. Of course, the pain would return once the knife was pulled out and Legolas fully expected Aragorn to remove it shortly. He risked a glance at the embedded blade, wincing as he jolted his arm.

"Moving on," Aragorn quipped as he grabbed the blade and reefed it out, forcing Legolas to close his eyes and cry out softly. "Pure, unforgettable bliss."

"Aragorn, do you not remember anything of the friendship we had?" Legolas focused on his breathing.

"Legolas, give it up." Aragorn held up the knife again. "You are not getting out of this, no matter how much you may pray to your precious Valar that you will be saved. Now, shall we continue?"

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Thranduil sat up immediately as the strangled cry echoed through the clearing. His eyes instantly focused on his sleeping son.

Legolas was no longer sleeping; he was thrashing wildly and crying out in pain. The king stood and approached him, quickly joined by Sinarel and Aragorn.

"What is wrong with him?" Aragorn bent down and held Legolas still. The elf was writhing and convulsing madly, blood oozing from the side of his mouth.

"Legolas, ion nin, edlosto _[wake up]_!" Thranduil shook his son gently.

"No," Legolas moaned, arching his back and coughing violently. Blood sputtered down the elf's chin.

"My lord, it must be the poison." Sinarel was looking at the prince worriedly.

Legolas stopped coughing and remained completely still, the slight rise and fall of his chest the only proof he was still in this world. Blood leaked slightly from the side of his mouth and he twitched every so often.

"It must be another nightmare," Thranduil whispered, grasping Legolas' shoulders gently. "Ion nin, wake up. It is only a dream." He shook the younger elf gently.

Legolas moaned but didn't open his eyes, only writhed again. "No," he repeated, gasping in what appeared to be pain.

"Mellon nin, please awaken," Aragorn whispered, cupping the elf's chin softly.

"Oliner will pay for this," Thranduil whispered, a tear rolling down his cheek. He hated hearing Legolas in pain and being unable to do anything to help.

"He must be preventing Legolas from waking up," Sinarel stated, placing a hand on his liege's shoulder comfortingly.

"I hate to think what he is experiencing," Aragorn whispered, shaking Legolas again in hopes of waking him up. The elf didn't move.

"How dare Oliner do this to my son!" Thranduil thundered, clutching Legolas tighter to him. "He will pay for his treachery and for what he has done to Legolas."

"Do you think he will wake up soon?" Aragorn asked half-heartedly. He knew that whatever Legolas was going through, it would be evaporating the elf's trust for him. He felt his eyes sting with tears but held them back.

"All I can do is hope." Thranduil continued to embrace his unconscious son, hugging him as if he might soon disappear. Eventually, the king lay down and his eyes glazed over. He was still wrapped around Legolas.

"Oliner is a foul creature," Aragorn whispered, gently touching Legolas' hair. Sinarel clenched the human's shoulder encouragingly before disappearing into the trees and returning to his watch.

The ranger sighed and rested his head on the ground so that he could still see Legolas. It pained him to think what the elf was going through in his dream, with himself as the enemy. He had one hope, that when all this was over, Legolas still trusted him.

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**TBC**

**A/N: If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!! Hehehe, I take it everyone's happy? No? Why ever not? *Smiles innocently* It's not like I killed anyone……YET! Well, you know the call. Review; tell me how nice I am :) The next chapter will be up in two days if everything goes as planned. That'll make it Monday! :)**


	15. How Much Is Too Much?

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: I would like to thank all my reviewers. You guys have made this story such an enjoyable experience so far, thank you immensely! Here is the next chapter, more gruesome fun. Come on, you know you like it......**

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Chapter Fifteen: How Much Is Too Much?

Legolas shuddered as he felt another layer of skin being removed. He forced himself to bite his tongue, to not cry out, but Aragorn was persistent.

"Four." The human stood, holding up a thin piece of flesh.

The elf shuddered. Aragorn's next method consisted of the human cutting off layers of skin from Legolas' left calf. He felt repulsed at the sight of his mangled flesh. "You can count? I'm amazed."

Aragorn grinned and bent again, chuckling coldly. An instant later, Legolas felt pain rip through his leg, a stinging sensation that made him hiss.

Ever since Aragorn had started, Legolas had been unable to keep his mouth shut. He repeatedly taunted the human, goading him. He knew it was stupid and he'd only end up paying for it in the end but it helped him ignore the pain. It gave him a sense of pride at the fact that he was not allowing himself to be broken. He maintained his defiance.

The ranger stood, holding another string of flesh. "Five."

"Again, I find myself impressed with your counting skills," the prince drawled. He frowned slightly as the human approached him instead of crouching back down and assaulting his leg.

"Let's play a new game," Aragorn grinned and lifted the layer of flesh up to Legolas' face. Without another word, Aragorn forced his jaw open and shoved the skin inside.

Legolas' eyes widened and he struggled wildly. He tried to pull his head back and spit the flesh out but Aragorn held him steady, closing his mouth and keeping his hand there to prevent the elf from dispelling it. "Chew and swallow," he commanded happily.

The prince shuddered as the taste of his own skin assaulted him, flooding his taste buds. He didn't swallow, only glared at Aragorn murderously. He refused to eat his own flesh.

"I enjoy doing things the hard way," the human purred before thrusting Legolas' head backwards so that his throat was exposed. Aragorn gently caressed his neck, rubbing the skin over the elf's esophagus to try and force him to swallow.

Legolas resisted, trying to block the back of his throat with his tongue but Aragorn's constant rubbing against his neck was slowly accomplishing the task. He jerked, trying to loosen Aragorn's grip but the human held him steady, laughing sickly at what he was doing. Soon, Legolas felt himself swallowing and then began to cough violently as Aragorn moved his hand away.

"That was fun." Aragorn lifted another piece of flesh. "Four to go."

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"Come on Legolas, please wake up." Thranduil shook his son, tears pouring down his face.

Aragorn stared in horror at Legolas who was heaving dangerously and writhing in his father's grip. "Mellon nin," he whispered.

Legolas began to tremble involuntarily and Thranduil quickly turned the elf on his side as he vomited. He held Legolas across his lap, patting him on the shoulder gently as the prince heaved his stomach acids all over the ground. The tears increased down Thranduil's cheeks. "Oliner will die for this."

"It is morning, he will have to wake up soon, hir nin. If it is Oliner that is keeping him from waking, then Oliner will need to stop soon and direct his attention to Mirkwood. I'm sure he doesn't want to waste time and risk allowing us to arrive before him," Sinarel said, trying to comfort his king.

"I can't stand this," the king whispered, holding Legolas' golden hair away from his face so that he would not vomit on it.

Aragorn held Legolas' hand, trying to comfort the traumatized elf. He knew that the prince was likely experiencing all sorts of nightmares under Oliner's control and he also knew that he was likely to be the cause of most of them. "Aluer should be back soon."

"Hopefully she will have located Oliner," Thranduil said threateningly.

Sinarel nodded. "If she has, we will need to stop him from reaching Mirkwood. We can't afford him to spread his lies whilst we are stranded out here."

"Who knows how many orcs lie between here and the entrance to my city," Thranduil murmured, wincing as Legolas moaned.

"They will all die." Aragorn's eyes glowed with ferocity and anger. Oliner would die so that Legolas would be okay, he would die for his treachery and lies. No matter what happened, Aragorn would make sure Oliner died so that Legolas would be okay.

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"State your name and purpose," the tall, dark-haired elf commanded.

"I am Lieutenant Aluer and I seek help," she looked at the elf desperately. He thought for a moment before he lowered the bow and nodded.

"Why do you seek assistance?"

Aluer continued to pat Oloser, relieved that she had located help. "I'm sure you have received word of King Thranduil heading out to save Prince Legolas?"

He nodded.

"I travelled with the king. We located the orcs but Captain Oliner was not what he seemed, he betrayed us. King Thranduil and I were captured but the prince saved us. He had escaped earlier. Oliner poisoned him and he requires help."

"Is anyone else hurt?" The dark-haired elf signaled for Aluer to lead them to the king and prince.

"Yes," she led Oloser along. "Prince Legolas has numerous other wounds, the king has been shot in the leg and Estel has a broken nose. He did have a dislocated arm but it has been put back into place. Also, we have a wounded warrior in our group. He has been shot in the stomach and requires immediate medical assistance."

"This is indeed bad news," the elf sighed.

They continued to walk at a fast pace, making good time. Soon, the sounds of panicked voices reached their ears and they made towards them. It sounded as if someone was having a fit, accompanied by nervous talking. Aluer pushed through the bushes and gasped as she saw Legolas writhing on the ground. The patrol emerged behind her.

Sinarel approached the new arrivals and quickly began telling them in elvish what had happened. Aluer raced forward and gently touched her king on the shoulder. "Is he alright?"

"No, it's Oliner. He is preventing Legolas from waking up. He's in so much pain," Thranduil whispered as tears streaked down his face.

"My king, I found a patrol. They have come to help," she informed him, hoping to distract him from his son's pain.

"Good," he whispered. "Did you find where Oliner is?"

"No, the patrol found me before I could do much scouting. I did, however, find Oloser again, my king." She gestured towards the white being half concealed by bushes.

"Is he in any state to carry someone?" Thranduil stood, passing Legolas to Aragorn. The human accepted him happily.

"I doubt it, hir nin," the she-elf whispered.

It killed the king to leave his son but as a king, it was his responsibility to see to the arranging of things. He had to be the authority, no matter how much he just wanted to break down and scream. "Suil _[Greetings]_."

The patrol leader smiled bowed to his king. "My king, is it true Captain Oliner is a traitor?"

Thranduil's eyes burned for a moment at the mention of Oliner's name. "Yes. He has poisoned Legolas."

"Is it fatal?"

"No, I don't think so. It gives Oliner control over his dreams. He is preventing Legolas from awakening." Thranduil glanced at his son uneasily.

"We would be more than happy to escort you back to Mirkwood."

"Yes, that is good. Come, Estel." Thranduil left the bushes, Sinarel with Raaen behind him. The patrol leader smiled at Aragorn before disappearing as well.

"Do you want me to carry him?" Aluer approached the human who was still crouched on the ground, holding Legolas.

Aragorn frowned. He wanted to carry his friend but he did not think his weakened arm would be able to support even the elf's light weight. He handed him to Aluer reluctantly. She scooped him up and followed the others, whispering soothingly in elvish to the prince.

"We must watch out for orcs," Sinarel told the patrol leader as they walked.

The elf nodded and signaled to two of his elves to head for the trees. The patrol was only small, no more than five elves but it was a comfort to everyone to no longer be alone.

"How far?" Aragorn asked as they trudged along.

"Not very, we are close," the patrol leader answered, increasing his pace. Aragorn nodded and followed. Oliner would pay.

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Legolas felt the scream rising in his chest and had to clench his jaw so that it didn't make itself known. He knew how much a scream would please Aragorn.

"So much resistance," the human laughed as he caressed Legolas' mutilated calf.

The elf closed his eyes, trying to bite back the pain but he felt himself losing. The ranger had been continuing this particular ordeal for ages. Legolas had lost track of the time.

"Looks like we need some more," Aragorn said as he pulled the small sack out of his tunic folds. He upended it and watched as the tiny, white crystals fell into his palm.

Legolas glared at the human, the one he had considered a friend. How could this be a dream? It was so real, he wasn't waking up. Steadily, the horrifying truth was beginning to dawn on him.

Aragorn lifted the handful of salt and began repeating his earlier actions. He watched the elf's face carefully as he methodically crushed the white powder into the prince's smarting calf.

Legolas clenched his jaw but felt it slowly begin to unclench. He knew that if he allowed it to open, he would scream so he bit his lip and closed his eyes, writhing as Aragorn pressed harder. His mouth opened again and he heard the moan ring through his ears before he clamped it again.

Aragorn laughed. "It feels so good to hear you cry out, Legolas. Why do you stop yourself?"

"Because that's…what you…want." Legolas gasped and moaned as the salt crystals found a particularly sensitive cut.

"And that's what I'll get too." He ground the salt in slowly, drawing out the agony.

Legolas clenched his eyes shut as every muscle in his body burned. His leg: screaming intensely, his hand: throbbing steadily, his arm: burning slightly and his ear: killing him. His ear still hurt, the pain hadn't lessened whatsoever.

"So much resistance," Aragorn purred, rubbing the salt in even slower.

"Sick," Legolas whispered, afraid to open his mouth too far.

Aragorn only grinned and added more salt to his palm, beginning the process again. Legolas writhed and tried to move backwards as the pain continued to intensify. He couldn't handle it; every grain of salt was making itself known in his marred leg. It didn't help that Aragorn had lowered his speed impossibly, making it so much worse.

He felt his defiance flooding, replaced by the trauma of everything that had happened. The various pains his body was experiencing, the betrayal of his greatest friend. He felt his mouth open but he couldn't close it. His jaw muscles wouldn't work. He winced as he heard his gut-wrenching scream echo around the clearing.

"Na vedui _[At last]_!" Aragorn grinned at the elf triumphantly, reveling in his pain.

Legolas tried to end the scream as fast as possible but it droned on, fading slowly until it turned into a gasp. He locked his mouth and averted his eyes as Aragorn stood and came up close to the elf's face. "Now, Legolas, let's make this more interesting. How about I ask you some questions? Let's make it torture for information, hmm?"

"I'm not telling you anything of importance," Legolas gasped, trying to ignore the overwhelming pain.

"We'll see. That depends on what you define as 'important'. Okay, first question. I want to know your name."

Legolas rolled his eyes. "Legolas."

"There we go. See? It's easy," Aragorn laughed at the bound elf mockingly.

"It's a waste of time. You already know my name, do not torture me by asking pointless questions," Legolas' voice was harsh and full of impatience.

The human narrowed his eyes and sneered. "I'm having fun, my dear elf, which is all that matters. Question two," he twirled the knife fondly, "how much do you know about Sharky?"

Legolas sighed. "Only what Oliner told me. I don't even know who he is. Are we done?"

"Patience is a virtue," Aragorn chuckled. "At least you're being cooperative."

"I'm only being _cooperative_ because this interrogation is ridiculous. You don't even want to know anything." Legolas glared at the ranger distastefully.

"Question three, do you know where Laythil is?"

Legolas felt surprised by the question. "How am I supposed to know? He is probably dead by now, another elven life extinguished. I hope Oliner is proud of himself."

"I'm sure he is, though this is so much better." Aragorn smiled.

"What is?"

"The torturing of an elf. You prissy little creatures are exceptionally fun to hurt," Aragorn moved forward and thrust the point of the knife into Legolas' hip, smiling sadistically when he heard it hit the bone. Legolas let out a cry of pain and tried to recoil against the tree.

Legolas looked at Aragorn, pain glowing in his eyes. He watched as the human held the handle of the knife, giving it little nudges just to incense the pain. The prince had to bite back a scream as he slowly rotated it in the wound, resulting in agony for the unfortunate elf.

"So much fun," Aragorn whispered before reefing the blade out of the elf's hip, giggling when Legolas cried out again. "I could get used to this," he murmured, reaching out and poking his index finger into the wound.

Legolas bit his tongue and squirmed slightly as the human pushed his finger into the wound harder. He couldn't explain the feeling, it was excruciating. "Daro," he whispered, closing his eyes when it sounded more like a plea instead of a command.

"Begging already?" Aragorn thrust his finger into the knife wound harshly, grinning toothily when Legolas cried out.

The elf turned defiant eyes on the ranger. "Never. I will never beg."

"Not even for your best friend?" He wriggled his finger, making the elf squirm and moan.

"You are not my friend. I have no affection for you, you are a monster!" Legolas snarled at the ranger. He knew that he wouldn't say something like that to Aragorn but his friend was gone. This hideous murderer had taken his place.

The ranger smiled, curling his lip wickedly. "Yes," he whispered. He reached up and placed his free hand on the elf's disfigured ear. He stroked the wound gently.

Legolas felt instantly nauseous and scared. He tried to pull away but Aragorn held his ear, repeatedly rubbing his finger along the flat cut and had his other hand assaulting the stab wound in his hip. He felt another scream building in his chest and clamped his mouth shut.

"Don't be like that," Aragorn mumbled kindly, thrusting his hand into the wound harder and rubbing the ear less gently. He watched as Legolas visibly battled with himself to stop the scream. "Let it all go."

The elf arched his back, squirming desperately to get out of the human's hold but Aragorn held him still, aggravating his wounds with more intensity. He could feel the ranger's finger rubbing against the interior of his stab wound. Then there was his ear, the most sensitive part of his body. Aragorn had cut the tip off and was now roughly caressing the wound unbearably. He tried to move, to make Aragorn stop but the tree held him in place and the ranger leant against him, pushing him back into the trunk. He felt panic, fear and pain beginning to claim his senses, evaporating his resistance. He opened his mouth and screamed again, the sound vibrating through the trunk of the tree.

Aragorn laughed by his ear but didn't stop. He only moved his hands harder and faster, pressuring the wounds agonizingly. Legolas writhed against the trunk of the tree when the torture didn't stop, only increased. He closed his eyes and willed himself to regain control but every wriggle of the human's right hand joined with the caressing of the human's left hand quickly began to dissolve the resolve the elf had in place. He screamed again, bucking wildly but he found himself unable to move.

"Again," Aragorn urged, moving his fingers harder, making the pain unbearable for the elf.

Legolas writhed against the tree, desperate for Aragorn to stop. His lips parted for a fourth time and he screamed again, louder and longer than before. He felt a tear slide down his cheek and then pain was his only feeling. He lost the ability to feel anything but agony as Aragorn moved a second finger into the wound in his hip, stretching it and began digging his nails into the flat cut of the ear. Legolas felt his mouth open again and hated himself for the weakness he was expressing. The scream was full of agony and anguish, making Aragorn's eyes light up.

The ranger inhaled deeply; overjoyed by the extreme pain he was causing Legolas. "Are you having fun yet?"

Legolas didn't answer, only moaned loudly as Aragorn didn't lessen the torture. He felt every nerve in his body burn immensely. For the first time in his entire life, Legolas felt the smallest amount of hate for Aragorn, his best friend.

"I asked you a question Legolas. When will you learn?" He leaned heavily on Legolas, jabbing his fingers into the wound even deeper and grinning when Legolas writhed against him and moaned. He then proceeded to pick at the flat top of Legolas' ear, scratching it ruthlessly. "Answer me, are you having fun?"

"N-no," Legolas whispered before crying out sharply. It hurt so much.

"I am," the human said happily. "Scream again Legolas, it thrills me to hear you scream.

Legolas turned his head sharply and bit down on Aragorn's wrist. He only nipped it slightly due to the way the ranger had him restrained but he felt himself draw blood and acquired a sense of satisfaction. Any little thing to get him back would make him feel satisfied.

Aragorn gasped and backhanded Legolas sharply. "Foolish elf! Do you not know how unwise it is to provoke the one who holds power over you?"

"You have no power," Legolas suppressed a moan as Aragorn drew his fingers out of his hip wound.

"Legolas, tell me, how do you think goading me will help? It will only make me want to hurt you more," Aragorn coated his finger in salt and Legolas felt a cold knot form in his stomach.

"It is fun," the elf spat, shrinking back into the tree as Aragorn thrust his salt-covered finger back into the knife wound.

Legolas gasped as he felt the salt crystals instantly increase the pain. Aragorn began twisting his finger sharply, rubbing the salt into the inside of his wound. Legolas closed his eyes to block out the human's joyous face as he screamed again, unable to swallow it in time. He was, however, able to bite his lip and cut it off early.

"You can't hold on forever," Aragorn whispered.

Legolas felt the small hate he was feeling for the human begin to grow. He was powerless to stop the immediate disdain he felt for the ranger enter his heart. "I hate you," he whispered seriously.

"Good," Aragorn whispered back. He retrieved his hand and straightened. "Remember that."

Legolas felt a sickening sensation claim his body and then his eyes were opening, focusing on his surroundings. He felt himself screaming uncontrollably, writhing in the grip of whoever was holding him.

"Legolas?"

"No!" Legolas pushed away from the one restraining him and felt the arms loosen. He was placed on the ground. He looked up into the face of Aluer.

"My king, he has awakened!" The she-elf moved and allowed Thranduil to embrace Legolas.

As soon as the archer felt his father touch him he moaned and pulled away, scuttling backwards across the ground. "Don't touch me!"

"Legolas, ion nin, it's me," Thranduil reached out to the elf, concerned now.

Legolas snapped his head around quickly, trying to figure out where he was. He looked up and saw Aragorn crouching down next to him. "Mellon nin, do not be afraid," the ranger said, reaching out to touch the elf's shoulder.

"Monster!" The prince hissed, springing forward and wrapping his bare hands around Aragorn's throat.

The human's eyes bulged as Legolas attacked him. He was pushed backwards till he was sprawled on the ground, the prince pinning him. He felt his air cut off and his lungs protest violently. All he could do was stare at the elf, wide-eyed.

"Legolas," Thranduil reached forwards and grabbed the younger elf. He lifted Legolas away from Aragorn with ease due to the prince's weak state.

"No, Ada, he is a murderer. My ear, Ada, he cut off the tip of my ear! My leg, he skinned it!" Legolas thrashed against his father, screaming wildly.

"No, Legolas. I would never raise a hand against you, it was a dream," Aragorn explained, standing. He felt repulsed by what the elf was saying.

"No it wasn't! It was you; you had all your memories! You tortured me," Legolas shouted, a tear running down his face.

"No, ion nin, it was a dream. You wouldn't wake up this morning, Oliner was keeping you asleep. Aragorn is still your friend." Thranduil held Legolas still and spoke slowly so that there was no chance he wouldn't be heard.

The archer struggled. "No, Ada, he knocked you out and took me during the night! He must have rendered me unconscious and brought me back before you woke up. Don't trust him!"

Aragorn felt tears gather in his eyes. "No, Legolas, you're my friend."

"Liar! Liar!" The prince clawed at his father's restraining arms, trying to get free.

"You say he…_cut off _the tip of your ear?" Thranduil was repulsed by the thought. "You have two points now, ion nin."

Legolas stopped and looked at his father. "What?"

The king reached up and touched Legolas' right ear tip then moved to the left ear tip, touching it gently. He frowned as Legolas cried out and writhed in pain at the touch. "Legolas, what is wrong with your ear?"

"He cut the tip off!" The prince screamed.

"No, Legolas, the tip is still there but you recoiled when I touched it," Thranduil explained slowly.

"It was Oliner," Aragorn explained past the lump in his throat. "He tortured Legolas by……_hurting_ his ear."

"What did he do?" Thranduil winced as Legolas screamed again and renewed his clawing.

"He bit it," the human said, disgusted.

The elven king shook his head. "He will die," he whispered.

"Let me go!" Legolas screamed, his voice beginning to grow hoarse from the constant screaming.

"Legolas, that was just a dream. You only bear the same wounds you had before. Your legs are fine and your ears both have tips." Thranduil loosened his hold on his son gently.

The prince looked down at his legs and saw that his leggings were still in place. He also didn't feel the pain from his stabbed hip and upper arm. He brought his left hand up and examined it. "Fingernails," he whispered.

The king gaped at his son. "What happened to your fingernails?"

"He pulled them out," Legolas whispered venomously.

"Ion nin, you must tell me what happened in your dream. How badly were you hurt?" The king rubbed his son's right forearm gently to comfort him.

Legolas opened his mouth to reply but screamed as his body burnt. He felt his old injuries flare back into existence and he dropped to his knees, dragging his father with him. His right shoulder felt like it was being carved up slowly and his back burnt furiously. He also felt the arrow wound on his left forearm make itself known. He continued to gasp until the pain abated a little.

"See? Only your old injuries. You need to be careful and avoid aggravating them." Thranduil continued to embrace his gasping son.

"I'm so confused, Ada," the younger elf whispered brokenly, shutting his eyes and allowing tears to escape the closed lids.

"I know, Legolas, I know," Thranduil felt tears run down his cheeks to land on Legolas' hair.

"Legolas, I would never want to cause you pain," Aragorn took a tentative step towards the archer.

The prince shuffled backwards, pressing into his father. "Don't hurt me."

"I never would," the human whispered desperately. He felt cold panic hit him as he thought that maybe Oliner had gone too far. What if Oliner had broken Legolas' trust completely?

Thranduil rubbed Legolas' head gently. "Estel cares for you Legolas, do not let Oliner's trickery change that."

"He hurt me, Ada," the archer began to tremble.

"No, he didn't," the king said firmly. "Oliner messed with your dreams again. He did this."

Legolas closed his eyes and willed his mind to make sense of this situation. It really had been a dream, this was reality. He needed to understand that. Oliner had lied to him, Aragorn was innocent.

_If you trust him, he will hurt you. He will mangle your body and destroy your spirit. He will kill all those you care about and it will all be your fault. Do not trust him. _

Legolas moaned as the voice returned. It had to be his conscience. Would Aragorn do that? Was his Estel that brutal monster from his 'dreams'?

_Well, you'll soon find out when he's carving up your family. Are you willing to risk your father's life on a false belief? You know he can't be trusted. Remember the pain he put you through?_

_DREAMS!_ Legolas urged, moaning again.

_Or premonitions……_

"Ion nin, rest. We are heading to Mirkwood so just rest," Thranduil whispered, lifting Legolas gently. The younger elf winced and moaned but didn't protest to the help.

Aragorn looked at his friend sadly. He felt furious at what Oliner was doing to the elf, to their friendship. He wanted nothing more than Legolas' trust back. He didn't want the prince to fear him; he didn't want to be the cause of Legolas' pain and discomfort.

"It is okay Estel, he has just been through a lot," Thranduil encouraged, walking towards Mirkwood. They were getting closer to the elven city, and it heightened their hopes.

The patrol leader walked at the front of the group, Thranduil and Legolas behind him. Aluer and Sinarel walked a small distance behind them, giving them some privacy. Aragorn stayed with the two warriors, knowing that his presence at Legolas' side would probably not be a good thing at the moment. The other two patrol elves guarded the rear, keeping a keen eye out for trouble and leading Oloser along. The horse's wound was sensitive, the slightest touch made it fret. The steed was unable to carry anyone at the moment, forcing them to continue on foot.

"Do you think the prince will be okay?" Aluer asked, breaking the silence.

"I hope so," Sinarel replied. "These past few days are weighing heavily on him, he may take some time to recover."

"I can't believe Oliner betrayed us. He was so loyal to the king," Aluer whispered, ducking her head.

Sinarel touched her shoulder gently. "He lied to everyone, Lieutenant. Do not allow your former friendship with the captain interfere with your duty to the king."

"I never would," the she-elf said firmly, leaving no room for doubt.

Sinarel nodded, smiling at the lieutenant. "That is all that matters."

Aragorn smiled slightly at the interaction between the two. He looked at his surroundings, keeping an eye out for orcs. They were bound to run into some sort of resistance, their luck wasn't about to change now. He kept his hand on the pommel of his sword and braced himself for an attack at any moment.

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**TBC**

**A/N: Another chapter, yay!! Well, Legolas is conscious again. Aren't you all happy? And look, his ear tip isn't really gone and none of the damage was permanent. Happy? Okay, an estimate of two days till the next update. So, I'll hopefully get it up on Wednesday. Well, review, come on! It'll be fun :)**


	16. Trapped

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: Thanks to everyone for your reviews, they are greatly apprecitated!! Here is chapter sixteen, as promised.........**

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Chapter Sixteen: Trapped

Aragorn looked up sharply as the bushes to his right shifted, making a noise. He cursed himself for being so nervous. With every miniscule change in the atmosphere he would jump ten feet and start an attack. At one point he had drawn his sword and started towards a particularly loud bush only to realize it was the wind. He had found the situation rather embarrassing but Sinarel had gained a large amount of amusement from his actions.

The warrior elf still glanced at him intently every so often in case of a repeat of his earlier actions. His green eyes sparkled with amusement, much to the human's frustration.

Aragorn found himself growing acquainted with the warrior elf. Sinarel seemed to like him in turn and the playful looks he shot the human along with the occasional conversation made the ranger feel comfortable in his presence.

They had not been travelling long due to the amount of injuries possessed by everyone in the group. Thranduil was steadily limping along under Legolas' weight. The elf king needed assistance but refused to admit it and wouldn't allow anyone else to carry the prince. What had only been a short time of travelling felt like hours.

"Dina _[Be silent]_," the patrol leader halted immediately, holding up a hand. Thranduil and the rest of the company paused instantly, holding their breath.

"Man sa _[What is it]_?" Thranduil whispered, his voice an inaudible murmur.

The patrol leader snapped his dark head around, panic in his eyes. "Yrch." He silently drew the sword which hung around his waist and held it at the ready.

Thranduil cursed inwardly and looked down at his weak son. Legolas was conscious but still had blood trickling from the side of his mouth and his eyes were unfocused. "Ion nin?"

"Ada," Legolas' eyes focused on his father and he saw the worry that resided in the old eyes. "Aníron meathad _[I wish to fight]_."

"Legolas, you are too injured to fight. You will not be able to defend yourself," Thranduil whispered but his voice held authority.

"What then? I will just cower under a bush? I think not, Ada. I will fight," Legolas managed to make his voice steady and glared at his father stubbornly.

Thranduil knew that he couldn't just leave Legolas laying somewhere to rest while they fought. He bit his lip and nodded. "I do not want you to exert yourself, Legolas. You must stay close to the rest of us and do not try anything too risky."

The archer nodded and waited for the king to place him on his feet. As soon as his father's supporting arms were gone Legolas swayed and wobbled but he didn't fall. It took him a few minutes to steady himself and then he looked around anxiously. He knew he would be able to fight; he only had his old injuries to worry about instead of all the gruesome ones from the dream. He would just need to mind his shoulder and back.

The rough, heavy sounds of orc feet could be heard approaching. It was hard to discern their numbers but it was easily fifty or more. Legolas drew his white knives and stood silently in anticipation of an attack. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that the others were drawing their own weapons.

Thranduil held Laythil's scimitar, tensed to leap at the first orc that appeared. Sinarel held his bow, an arrow strung. His quiver held another twenty arrows, it was not much but it was better than nothing. The patrol elves all held swords and were scouting out the bushes, trying to determine which direction the orcs were approaching from. Aluer held a dagger which had been in her boot. Oliner had disposed of her sword. She had been carrying the dying Raaen at that moment. In a split second she had decided to hide the warrior in the trees, where orcs would not locate him. His life was fading; this fight would need to be quick.

Then Legolas' eyes fell on Aragorn. The ranger held his sword at the ready, looking at the bushes as if they would leap at him without a moment's notice. The human turned his head, and for a split second his silver eyes connected with the sapphire ones of the elf before Legolas turned away and averted his gaze. That pain had felt so real. He remembered how it had felt when Aragorn had cut off his ear tip, had thrust his finger into the stab wound in his hip. Every second of the painful experience was locked in his mind as if it had really happened.

"Are you sure you want to fight, Legolas. Your body may be too traumatized to handle any complex maneuvers." Thranduil rested a comforting hand on the prince's left shoulder.

"I will fight," the younger elf whispered murderously. He wasn't going to be weak and allow others to fight for him. He looked at his father, a fire burning in his eyes that spelt death for any orc stupid enough to place himself within arm's reach of him.

Thranduil nodded, not pleased with having Legolas strain his body but glad that the elf was still strong.

Legolas turned back to the bushes but caught a glimpse of Oloser out of the corner of his eye. He smiled happily and whistled to the horse. It trotted over to him, glad to see its master conscious. "Oloser," the prince greeted affectionately. He then heard the orcs getting closer. He ran his long fingers through the white steed's mane lovingly before smacking the horse on the rear gently. "Drego _[Flee]_! Seek help, Oloser!" He ordered. The horse neighed before galloping off into the forest. Legolas hoped he would have the chance to be reunited with his beloved horse if he survived the coming battle. He knew the horse wouldn't find help, the orcs would probably stop him from reaching the city but he had needed the horse to believe he was urgent, for the horse was loyal and would only leave his master in a dire situation.

Almost instantly a black arrow whizzed through the unnatural silence and thumped into the bark of a tree. All present in the clearing snapped their heads in the direction of the projectile, comprehending that they were under attack and then they jumped into action.

The two patrol archers who had taken to the trees ran along the thick boughs, their hands a blurred motion as arrows were repeatedly strung and loosed. They stayed on the move to prevent the orcs from pinpointing their location. They took down many orcs though with every kill, their quivers became less and less crowded.

Orcs poured through the bushes, snarling hideously. They approached from the east, no more than fifty. They tried to get around behind the small group of elves and man but were prevented from doing so.

"Don't let them surround us!" Thranduil shouted, lunging forward and swinging out with the scimitar. An orc fell dead at his feet.

Aragorn moved to the back and held his position, making sure that no orcs would get past and circle up behind them. He swung his sword with his left hand so that his formerly dislocated shoulder would not be strained.

Legolas hefted his white blades, preparing to strike out. He lifted them and ran forward, swinging them both sharply to the left in one fluid motion, cleaving off the head of the orc in front of him. Instantly his shoulder and forearm burned. He knew right then how painful this fight would be for him. He couldn't swing either of his arms without wanting to scream in pain.

"Get behind 'em!" An orc shouted. Almost instantly the orcs began to part, moving around but found themselves being blocked. Aragorn and Aluer held the south position, preventing orcs from getting past while Thranduil, Legolas and the patrol leader held the north section. Sinarel and the other two patrol elves stayed in the middle, fighting continuously.

"Legolas!" Thranduil shouted a warning to the prince who snapped his head around and saw an orc move past the patrol leader. Legolas jumped forward and stopped the orc from getting behind them.

Thranduil jabbed the scimitar forward and ran an orc through. After peeling the orc from the end of the blade he heard a pained cry behind him and turned to see an orc stab one of the patrol elves through the stomach. The immortal dropped to the ground silently, his precious blood flowing freely.

The king closed his eyes and forced his attention back to the battle. Nothing could be done for the elf, the wound was fatal. He just hoped they could kill the rest of the orcs before another elf was killed. They had made good progress; at least half the orcs had been slain. Thranduil felt hope rise in his chest and swung the scimitar out in an arc, disemboweling the orc rushing towards him. It fell to the ground, holding its foul insides in its claws and gurgling.

"My king, the orcs are growing less," Sinarel called happily as he kicked out with his foot, hitting an orc in the stomach. It whirled backwards, sprawling out on the ground. He then proceeded to bring his sword down, thrusting it through the orcs' neck. He had replaced his bow for his sword when his stock of arrows had depleted.

"Yes," Thranduil responded. "We may beat Oliner after all." He gasped as his injury flared, letting him know it did not appreciate his swift movements. He did his best to ignore it and kept fighting.

Legolas smiled at his father's words. He couldn't wait to reach Mirkwood; from there they would be able to deal with Oliner. Then he could resume sleeping normally. Then, maybe, he could trust Aragorn again. He looked across at the human who was hacking at the orcs ruthlessly. The front of the human's tunic was dotted with orc blood, proving his allegiance. He was killing the orcs; therefore he was not aligned with them.

_That's what he wants you to think. Are you really that naïve? If so, you make a poor Prince. _

Legolas gasped as that same voice returned, making its presence known through a throbbing headache. He forced himself to ignore it and keep fighting. Aragorn was on their side, he was helping.

_Poor Mirkwood, having to deal with a naïve Prince. You will lead them into much chaos and peril if you continue to remain blind to betrayal as clear as this._

_No, he is my friend. He has never done anything to hurt me, never done anything to make me doubt his loyalty._ Legolas resisted clenching his pounding head and swung his left arm out feebly, catching an orc in the hip. It shrieked and swung its sword at him. He barely managed to stumble out of the way.

_Remember that pain? Where is the proof he wouldn't really do that?_

_He wouldn't! It was a dream. Just another dream! _Legolas kicked out, moaning as his back burnt, and knocked the orc back.

_Naïve. Will you still say that when he is ripping your ear tips off and skinning your legs?_

Legolas closed his eyes and took a step backwards, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his right hand. _I know him._

_Not as well as you think. Are you willing to risk your father? What will you say when Aragorn is cutting of the tips of your father's ears? When he is screaming in agony because of pain caused by your 'friend'?_

_Please stop,_ Legolas moaned as his head swam. Every pain in his body hurt and the memories from the dreams were returning. Aragorn, stabbing him, torturing him and cutting his father's throat, they all returned. Whether he kept his eyes open or closed, it didn't matter; he saw the images as if they were happening. Aragorn, thrusting the knife through the tip of his ear, forcing his salt-covered finger into the stab wound on his hip, sneering as he twisted the blade embedded in his heart, forcing his own flesh into his mouth and making him swallow it, drawing the blade across his father's throat, reefing the blade out of his upper arm, ripping the fingernails from his hand, rubbing grains of salt into his smarting leg. _STOP!_

_You know what he is. Why do you risk his presence so?_

Legolas felt his legs give out and his knees slam into the hard earth. He absently noticed his elven blades drop to the ground on either side of him. It didn't stop the torrent of memories that were not real. Every detail from the dreams replayed behind his eyes, forcing him to see and feel it again and again. He felt his lips opening and a moan emanating but he didn't pay it any heed. He couldn't pay attention to anything other than the dreams replaying again and again through his head.

Thranduil looked across and saw Legolas fall to his knees. He felt a lump form in his throat; he knew Legolas wouldn't be able to fight. He had known, and yet he had let him anyway. He cursed and made his way to him, swinging the scimitar back and forth as a few kamikaze orcs decided to try and get in his way.

"Ion nin, what is wrong?"

Legolas heard his father's voice but was unable to respond as the images intensified. He couldn't understand why he was being put through theses horrors again and again. What torture was this?

"Legolas?" Thranduil was worried now. He crouched down next to his son, keeping an eye out for approaching orcs. The group had lessened considerably, no more than fifteen left.

The archer opened his mouth to call to his father but instead he moaned again, trembling as Aragorn pressed his index finger into the wound on his hip. He wriggled it, scratching the inside of his flesh. It was as real as the dream had been except he had some awareness of his father, shaking him gently and calling his name. He tried to respond again but found himself crying out as Aragorn placed all his weight behind the finger. It hurt so much…

The king gaped as Legolas stood and charged toward Aragorn, murder in his dilated eyes. Thranduil had only glimpsed the cerulean orbs for a second but he had seen how dilated they were, clouded with pain and contempt. Thranduil stood, heading after Legolas who was still racing at Aragorn as fast as his injuries allowed.

Aragorn pulled his sword out of the orcs' carcass, letting it drop to the ground harshly. He sensed someone approaching from his left and whirled around, getting ready to strike out. Then he caught the sight of his friend, the pale, blonde elf he trusted so dearly. Said elf was charging at him furiously.

"Legolas?" He asked before he felt himself being knocked to the ground and a fist slamming into his face. With a shock, he realized the fist belonged to Legolas. "Legolas, what are you doing?"

"Stop it!" The prince roared, a few silver tears escaping his eyes. "Stop hurting me!"

Aragorn's head snapped to the right as Legolas' fist connected with his jaw again. He tasted copper in his mouth and began sucking at his cracked lip. "I'm not hurting you! I never would!"

The elf seemed to convulse, crying out sharply. Aragorn pressed another finger into his hip wound and began biting on his mangled ear. The fire in his ear and hip made him cry out again. "Please stop, Estel! Stop!"

The ranger gaped as Legolas seemed to plead with him to stop causing him pain. "Mellon nin, I'm not hurting you. What is wrong?" It was as if the elf was dreaming but his eyes were open and he was looking straight at the human.

"Legolas, ion nin, what are you doing?" Thranduil came up behind his son, dodging an orc blade and ramming the scimitar into the brute's shoulder. It shrieked before falling to its knees.

Legolas heard his father but couldn't respond. Aragorn began digging in his hip wound as if he was scratching an itch. He cried out again and rammed his fist into the ranger's jaw for a third time. "Stop," he sobbed, tears falling freely down his face. "Please stop." He couldn't handle it, the trauma was overwhelming him. The pain, the confusion, it was making him snap.

Aragorn winced as his head snapped to the side and Legolas continued pleading him to stop. He didn't know what was wrong with his friend and it was killing him. He couldn't stand Legolas asking him to stop hurting him. He felt tears begin to fall down his own cheeks as the elf continued to ask him to stop.

"Estel, don't, please!" Aragorn clawed at the inside of the stab wound. It was excruciating, the pain and mental stress were breaking him. He never thought it would be his best friend who would break him. He felt himself screaming as Aragorn intensified the torture but was unable to stop himself. "No, please." He was begging and he hated himself for it. He was weak.

Thranduil gaped, horrified at his son. He moved forward and lifted Legolas off of Aragorn, pulling him back. "Ion nin, it is okay. No one is hurting you."

"Wrong."

That one word, said at an average volume without any emotion expressed through the tone whatsoever, was enough to gain the attention of every being present. Thranduil, Legolas, Aragorn, Aluer, Sinarel and the patrol elves all turned in the direction of the awfully familiar voice.

He was behind them, sitting in the bough of a tree. His light brown hair was held back with warrior braids. A large grin spread across his face as looks of pure shock and outrage appeared on the face of everyone present.

"Oliner!" Thranduil shouted, joined by Aragorn and Aluer. Legolas remained silent, glancing at everyone fearfully.

"You are a traitor, Oliner, and you have poisoned the prince. Surrender now and your death will be swift," Sinarel commanded formerly, disgust in his tone.

"Um…no," Oliner said happily, smiling down at them. Even the few orcs left had stopped attacking and glanced at their leader awkwardly. They were unsure as to what he wanted them to do.

"Oliner, you will die for what you have done to Legolas!" Thranduil fought to keep his voice steady.

The captain laughed, smiling hugely. "I sincerely doubt that."

Legolas closed his eyes, trying to gain control of himself. The torrent of memories had stopped now but he felt exhausted, as if he had used a great deal of energy to make them stop. All he could do was hang limply in his father's arms.

"I guess I have no choice but to kill you now, since you're heading back to the city," Oliner continued, flashing white teeth at the furious group below.

"Why did you let us go in the first place? You could have sent out your orcs to capture us." Thranduil cradled his son closer, checking to make sure he was still conscious. Legolas opened his azure eyes and looked at his father for a moment before letting them drift shut again.

Oliner pursed his lips. "I wanted to try out my new toy. Letting you go was the best way to do that. I hope Legolas liked the game as much as I did."

"Úan _[Monster]_," Thranduil cursed. "You have no idea what you've put Legolas through."

"Oh, but I do," the sadistic elf smirked. "He went through exactly what I intended him to." He studied the prince who was now glaring icily at the captain. "You don't look so good, princeling. Are you feeling okay?"

"I hate you," the archer whispered. His voice held no disgust or anger, no true emotion apart from cold, harsh honesty.

"Yes, you told me," Oliner kept his face impassive. "Anyway, I hoped to stop you from trying to get to the city but you are a persistent little elf. So, without further ado, I welcome you to the forest of Mirkwood, property of Sharky."

"I think not," Thranduil stormed, fire in his eyes.

"I think so," Oliner stood, balancing perfectly on the branch and held up his right hand.

A moment later the harsh footfalls of orcs could be heard. There were at least one hundred and fifty of the foul brutes heading in their direction. Oliner moved his arms out and the footsteps could be heard parting, surrounding them. The elves hefted their weapons, facing different directions and awaiting the imminent fight.

"Yes, I really do think so," Oliner grinned as a few orcs became visible, lugging swords and bows.

Thranduil unconsciously held Legolas closer to him, eyeing what few visible orcs there were. He felt a cold knot form in his stomach. They wouldn't be able to hold off so many orcs by themselves. He looked down at his son, smiling encouragingly. Legolas looked up at him, sadness in his eyes. "Ada," he whispered, "you must let me fight."

"No, Legolas. Not after what happened before," Thranduil signaled to Sinarel to grab Legolas' blades. The elven warrior stooped down and grabbed them, handing them to the king.

"Ada, you cannot fight with me in your arms. Give me a chance," Legolas pushed off of his father, trying to fold his legs under him. Thranduil frowned but let him go.

"If you wish, ion nin." The king glared at Oliner who was grinning at the situation.

"Still so strong, princeling?" The captain dropped from the tree, landing smoothly.

Legolas stood up straight and grabbed his white knives. He risked a glance in Aragorn's direction, giving him a small smile. The ranger reacted immediately, sighing and smiling back. He had thought he would never see Legolas smile at him again and was relieved to see the elf's upturned lips, if only for a second.

The archer took a step forward, readying his knives as the others all got into their own fighting stances. "You will die, Oliner," the prince whispered.

"You are all fools," Oliner laughed. "There are one hundred and fifty orcs surrounding you, possibly more and there are only seven of you." He drew his blade and stepped forward, holding it at the ready. "Face it, you are trapped."

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**TBC**

**A/N: Give it up for chapter sixteen!! Well, we'll see how things play out in chapter seventeen which should be up in two days, Friday. Please review, it really does make this story worth writing :)**


	17. Overwhelming Odds

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: Okay, maybe a slight tissue warning. It depends on how attached to the character you are. Hehe, yes, I'm evil! Thank you so much, everyone, for your reviews. Each and every one is greatly appreciated.**

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Chapter Seventeen: Overwhelming Odds

Thranduil surveyed the orcs carefully, trying to find a loophole in their formation. Only a select few had bows, aiming them at the group threateningly. The others all held blades of varying designs, all made to kill.

No matter how many times Thranduil followed the circle of orcs, he couldn't find a weakened spot to try and break through. There were too many orcs for the seven of them to hold back, especially with the multiple injuries acquired and overall weariness possessed by the group.

"Ready to concede, O mighty elven king?" Oliner mocked, waving his falchion threateningly.

"Never," Thranduil hissed, looking at Legolas. The prince nodded curtly, signaling attack, before flying towards Oliner in a lunge.

Chaos erupted. Orcs spilled into the clearing, slashing at anything that moved, elf, man or orc. Thranduil stabbed out with the scimitar, catching several orcs in various places, some dying and others shrieking in pain. Aragorn winced as he embedded his sword in the stomach of an orc, black blood spraying across his face. The orc made an inhuman shriek before going limp and sliding to the ground.

Legolas rammed into Oliner who had a look of shock and anger on his face. He had not expected the sudden attack. Legolas knocked him to the ground and the pair grappled furiously. Oliner had the advantage, being uninjured. He lashed out and grabbed Legolas' mangled shoulder, squeezing it harshly.

Legolas stopped trying to wrap his fingers around the captain's throat and released a cry of agony at the horrible pain shooting through his shoulder. It was already on fire from being knocked into Oliner, but now the pain was all consuming. He felt his vision dim and heard himself release another pained cry.

"You are a fool, princeling," Oliner whispered, digging his fingers in harder. He grinned with delight as Legolas cried out again.

"Daro!" Aluer kicked out sharply, hitting Oliner in the skull. He cried out softly and relinquished his hold on the prince's shoulder. Legolas rolled out of the way, gasping heavily.

Oliner shook his head, trying to clear his vision. He had not expected the attack and was now left dazed. He closed his eyes, trying to stop the pounding in his head. He had been kicked, that he was sure of.

Aluer saw his vulnerable position and brought her dagger down, aiming it for the captain's throat. A second before it made contact she hesitated. This man was her commanding officer, he had been her friend. He was an _elf_, immortal and fair. Could she really kill him? It was a millisecond, but that tiny pause gave Oliner the time to move his head. He laughed coldly.

"You should not let your emotions interfere, Lieutenant," he mocked, standing again.

Aluer gasped, unable to believe how stupid she had been. She could have ended it, could have stopped it right then but she had hesitated. She had allowed her previous friendship with the captain control her actions, she felt horrible.

"It's okay Aluer, I won't make the same mistake," he shot forward, swinging his falchion.

She ducked swiftly, moving to his right. She jabbed out with the dagger but he moved his falchion down, blocking the swipe. She moved back and tried to get behind him but he blocked her every move, grinning broadly.

"This is fun," he purred.

The she-elf only scowled and dropped to the ground, swinging out her right leg and hooking it behind Oliner's left ankle. With a harsh tug, quicker than human eyes could perceive, Oliner was sprawled on the ground. He grunted softly and made to rise.

Aluer sprang forward in a fluid motion, pinning him to the ground. She raised her right hand, curled it into a fist and rammed it into the captain's jaw with the full force of her strength. His head snapped to the side and blood began to trickle down his chin. "Are you still enjoying yourself?" She taunted coldly.

Legolas lifted his head, moaning as his shoulder screamed at him; he was surprised the pain hadn't rendered him unconscious. Once his eyes focused, he blinked to make sure that he knew what he was seeing. Aluer had Oliner pinned. He could have laughed had his ribs not been burning.

"Are you going to kill me?" Oliner asked in a bored tone.

"Yes," she stated simply, brandishing the dagger. "This is for everyone you've hurt. This is for my prince, my king, my fellow warriors, for Mirkwood." She raised the dagger.

Legolas groaned as the events seemed to be playing out in slow motion. Every movement of Aluer's arm seemed to be slowed impossibly, dragging out the moment. He panicked slightly as orcs got closer. Why was it not happening faster?

"That was a pretty speech," the captain drawled, seemingly unthreatened by the dagger Aluer was getting ready to thrust through his heart.

The she-elf looked at her captain, her pale blue eyes glowing like icy steel. There was no compassion in their depths, she had already risked showing mercy and had lost a priceless opportunity. They reflected hurt and pain at the thought of what Oliner had done to Mirkwood. All understanding and kindness was gone from them, replaced by outrage and disgust.

Legolas' eyes widened as Aluer thrust the dagger down, ending the fight once and for all. A hairsbreadth from its target, the dagger stopped. Legolas felt his breath catch in his throat as Oliner laughed happily and blood began to trickle from the side of Aluer's mouth.

It had taken no more than five seconds, what had just played out, but it had felt like hours. A long, black arrow was protruding from Aluer's back. From the look of it, it had damaged the spine and was a fatal wound.

She coughed slightly, blood dribbling down her chin. Oliner backhanded her swiftly, knocking her to the side where she convulsed slightly. He sat up and studied her curiously, as if wondering how she had gotten there.

"Man agorel_ [What did you do]_!?" Legolas shouted as angrily as he could. He winced as his injuries protested.

Oliner grinned at Legolas before nudging Aluer with his foot. She released a pained cry which ended in a strangled wheeze. "_I_ did nothing. That arrow is not mine."

Legolas squeezed his eyes shut tightly, trying to gain control over the rage and pain flooding his bloodstream before snapping them back open and glaring at Oliner. "Lle thaur _[You are abominable]_!" He said as firmly as he could.

"So quick to judge, princeling," he chuckled, walking towards the archer.

Legolas willed his body to move. He was on his stomach, every injury on fire and now had Oliner approaching him. He shifted his leg under him, searching for where his elvish blades had fallen. He saw them, one not too far away, off to his left. The other one was between him and Oliner, closer to the captain. He went to move into a kneeling position but stopped the motion midway as his ribs burnt even more furiously, letting him know that they were no longer cracked. They were broken.

As the prince prepared himself to try again, a foot planted itself firmly into his underbelly, knocking him backwards. He moaned as his ribs were jostled further. He looked up as Oliner appeared over him, smiling sadistically.

"So, princeling, how do you feel?"

Legolas suppressed a groan. There was battle raging all around them and Oliner was wasting time by taunting him. "Terrific," he spat sarcastically.

The captain grinned before disappearing for a moment. Legolas propped himself up on his elbows, ignoring the pain but quickly found himself knocked back harshly again. Oliner positioned his falchion at the archer's throat. "Last requests?"

Legolas closed his eyes, trying to stop himself from falling unconscious. The pain was intensifying. "Give me the falchion?"

Oliner laughed triumphantly, pressing forward on the falchion. Legolas closed his eyes and waited for the end to come. He knew their luck had to run out at one point.



Aragorn ducked as an orc slashed out at his face. He brought his sword up and rammed it fiercely into the soft flesh between the orcs' ribs. It cried out and fell to the ground.

He wiped the perspiration from his forehead. There were too many orcs; there was no way they could win this fight. He looked around him but he couldn't spot a single elf in amongst the sea of black, disfigured bodies. No matter how many of the foul beings he cut down, there were always more to take their place.

An orc slashed out at him, forcing him to step back. He felt his foot slide forwards and then he was on his back, stars dancing in front of his eyes. He closed his eyes, willing his vision to clear before opening them. The sight that greeted him forced him to roll to the right, an orc blade snapping down where his head had been only moments before.

He hissed as his right shoulder hit rocks but quickly pushed the pain from his mind, focusing his energy on rising to his feet. He turned around and saw that the ground was smeared with blood, making it harder to maneuver.

The orc growled and shot forward, aiming its sword for the human's abdomen. Aragorn stepped to the right, bringing up his own sword and blocking the attack. He dropped down and thrust his weapon out, catching the orc in the stomach. It gurgled and fell to the ground.

Aragorn stood and turned around, only to be met with the sight of a sword slashing towards his face. He moved back instinctively, barely avoiding the blow. He kicked out with his foot, knocking the orc backwards but it just grunted and proceeded forward again. He cursed and spun his sword out, feigning right before jumping agilely to the left and ramming his blade into the creature's left hip. He heard a sickening crunch followed by the orcs' scream, before the creature fell to the ground.

Aragorn risked another look around and saw Thranduil. He could only just glimpse the elven king but he was nearby. He made his way towards the elf, thrusting his sword out violently.

He knew how hopeless this fight was, they were overwhelmed by the sheer mass of orcs and this fighting was in vain. That didn't stop them from giving it their all though, they would not die easily.

"Hir nin!" Aragorn shouted to Thranduil but his voice was drowned out by the clangs of metal hitting metal and dying screeches of orcs.

Now that he was closer, he could see how much the king's leg was troubling him. He was barely able to hold up his own weight. He knew that part of that was due to heaving under Legolas' weight but he also knew that the king was growing weary of battle. He hastened to get there faster.

An orc stuck out its foot, trying to trip Aragorn but the ranger jumped back just in time. Living with elves had refined his reflexes. He brought the blade up and thrust it through the brute's thick neck. Blood ran down its torso before it fell to the ground, joining its comrades in death.

"Estel!" Thranduil caught sight of the human moving towards him.

"My king, there are too many," Aragorn hated saying it, but it was the truth.

"I know," the elf answered, dodging a blade, "but we must fight."

Aragorn pulled his sword out of the stomach of an orc before approaching the king, finally reaching him. "My lord, you must go," he said to the king seriously. "You must head to Mirkwood and alert the elves to Oliner's betrayal. He cannot be allowed to carry through with his plan."

Thranduil ducked before swirling to the right and cleaving off an orcs' head with the sheer force of the impact from his blow. "No, I am not leaving."

"You must, or else Mirkwood will remain unsuspecting." Aragorn continued to slash his sword, slicing anything daring enough to approach him. He felt his arms growing tired and knew that it would not be long till he was overpowered.

"I am not fleeing, Estel. I refuse to leave my son and warriors here to fend for themselves. I am no coward," the king said proudly.

"I never said you were," Aragorn was growing frustrated. Thranduil was just as stubborn as Legolas. "Hir nin, you must protect your people."

A pained cry drew their attention and they both glanced in the direction it had come from. It was hard to see through the orcs but they caught the sight of a sprawled body on the ground, black hair. It was an elf. Aragorn caught a brief glimpse of the facial features and recognized it as the patrol leader. Another immortal life extinguished.

"I will not leave my son, Estel. I don't even know where he is," Thranduil said, his voice taking on an anguished hysteria. "If he dies……"

"It is okay, my king, he is a fierce warrior," the ranger made to reassure the king but he doubted it himself. Legolas had been badly injured, and there were so many orcs.

The orcs parted slightly and Aragorn glimpsed two more elven bodies, sprawled on the ground. He recognized the other patrol elf and one of the patrol archers. The archers had obviously run out of arrows and had joined the ground fight. He felt his stomach drop; they were running out of time.

"No," Thranduil said, authority and anger lacing his voice. Aragorn glanced at the elven king, a feeling of awe and respect forming in his gut. The elf seemed to shine, to radiate light in the midst of battle. It would be impossible to mistake him for anything other than a king. "I am not leaving Legolas."

Aragorn resigned himself and began to search for the prince in the sea of black. Once the elf had attacked Oliner he had lost sight of him. He prayed to the Valar to keep him safe.

An orc jabbed out at him, trying to stab him in the abdomen. He only just managed to bring his sword down in time to parry the blow, proving how exhausted he was becoming. His sword grew heavier in his hands with every strike.

"Can you see Legolas?" Aragorn asked the king, ducking as an orc slashed out at him.

"No," Thranduil whispered. He surveyed the battle keenly. "Wait, over there!"

Aragorn thrust his blade into the orcs' chest before gazing in the direction Thranduil had indicated. He caught sight of Oliner standing over Legolas, his falchion positioned at the prince's throat. He felt his own throat constrict and rushed in their direction. Thranduil followed him.

"That foul elf!" The elven king cursed under his breath, punching an orc in the face. It stumbled out of the way and allowed the elf to continue staggering forward. His leg would not be able to support his weight much longer, it was too strained.

Aragorn rammed an orc out of the way with his left shoulder. He was getting closer to the pair, close enough to hear what they were saying.

"Any last requests?" The captain mocked.

"Give me the falchion?" Legolas drawled sarcastically.

Oliner pushed on the blade slightly, causing a line of blood to appear on the archer's neck. Legolas closed his eyes.

A second later, Thranduil barreled into Oliner and the pair rolled to the ground, grunting and trading blows. Oliner was shocked at first, allowing the king to gain the upper hand but Thranduil's exhaustion would not allow him to keep it for long.

Legolas opened his eyes, gazing in shock at the scene in front of him. "Ada?" He tried to get up but found his body hurt too much. He couldn't move at all.

"Mellon nin, are you okay?" Aragorn crouched down next to the elf, concern in his silver eyes.

Legolas inhaled sharply as the ranger approached him, unable to forget the dreams he had experienced. "Yes."

Aragorn shook his head exasperatedly. "You are not okay, I shouldn't have asked it like that. How much pain are you in?"

Legolas closed his eyes. "A lot…"

The ranger glanced over at Oliner and Thranduil. The fight went badly for the king, he was too exhausted. His injury provided a weak spot for Oliner to attack.

Oliner kneed Thranduil in the stomach, knocking him backwards. The king brought up his good leg and kicked out at the captain from his position on the ground. Neither had been allowed the chance to rise.

Oliner dodged the kick, ramming the heel of his boot into the king's injured thigh. Thranduil stifled a cry of pain before grabbing the scimitar which had fallen a few feet away and slashing it out at the sadistic elf.

Oliner scowled and backpedaled, searching for his own weapon. He located it before meeting Thranduil, metal clanging against metal. The pair rose to their feet in unison, glaring at each other angrily.

"You have no chance against me, Thranduil. You are injured and exhausted. Surrender now and your death shall be swift," Oliner whispered, grinning confidently.

"You truly are a fool if you believe I will surrender," Thranduil spat, glancing at Legolas sadly.

The prince looked back into his father's eyes, giving him encouragement nonverbally. The king smiled at his son before pushing off from Oliner and swinging the scimitar out.

Oliner blocked it and twisted his blade, attempting to knock the scimitar out of the king's hands. Thranduil kept hold of it before pulling the blade back and thrusting it out at the captain.

Oliner parried the blow, twirling magnificently, before dropping to a crouch and slicing out at the king's feet. Thranduil stepped backwards, his instincts guiding him. Oliner pounced at the king, knocking him down. The scimitar skidded across the ground, useless.

"Well, my king, it looks as if this might be the end of our fun." Oliner grinned happily, positioning his falchion at the king's throat. Thranduil glared at the captain icily, refusing to speak.

"NO!" Aragorn ran into Oliner, knocking him sideways. The elf cried out in surprise before turning to meet his attacker.

"Ah, edan," the elf breathed, trying to jab upwards with his falchion.

Aragorn pinned the elf to the ground, making his arms and legs useless. "You will pay for your treachery."

Oliner laughed, unthreatened by the human. "Would you like to rethink your actions?"

"What?" Aragorn frowned. "No, you will die."

"If you kill me, they will kill you," Oliner said happily.

Legolas, Aragorn and Thranduil's head turned in the direction Oliner had indicated. They saw at least one hundred orcs standing there, a few at the front holding bows. Sinarel was the only other elf now alive; he was kneeling on the ground, clutching a wound in his side with his bound hands. The orc behind him was tying a rope around his neck to use as a lead.

"Where is Aluer?" Thranduil searched for the she-elf. A lifeless body not too far away caught his attention. "Geril hîdh nen gurth_ [May you find peace in death]_," he whispered respectfully. It made him feel sick, seeing how easily Oliner was slaughtering elves.

"Touching," Oliner remarked. He looked expectantly at Aragorn.

The ranger cursed under his breath. He knew that as soon as he killed the captain the orcs would kill them. But, Oliner was planning to kill them anyway, so what difference did it make? He looked at Sinarel's bruised and bleeding face, feeling sympathetic towards the warrior. His green eyes reflected pain, anger and concern.

An orc trained its bow on Legolas, smiling wickedly. "Well, maggot? Are ya gonna let 'im up?"

Aragorn closed his eyes. He would not risk Legolas' life, even if they were going to be killed anyway. Maybe, if they were lucky, they would be able to escape. The hand holding his sword slackened and he stood, glaring at Oliner distastefully.

"Wise decision," Oliner sneered. He stood and dusted himself off.

Two orcs moved forward and secured Aragorn, holding him roughly. Thranduil and Legolas were treated in a likewise manner. The orcs had to support Legolas; the elf was too weary to hold up his own weight. The events of the past few days had taken their toll on the prince.

"Mirkwood will not accept you," Thranduil spat, lacing his voice with hate and contempt.

"You truly are a fool, Thranduil." Oliner sheathed his falchion and approached the king. "I'm going to make the rest of your short life as miserable as possible." He pushed his face up close to the king's, whispering affectionately. "First, I'm going to make you watch me torture your friends to death. Then, I'm going to kill you slowly, after your son and the human are nothing more than mangled pieces of flesh."

"Well then, you are the fool," Thranduil didn't seem moved by the threat. "Only a fool would waste time like that."

Oliner pursed his lips and rammed a fist into the elven king's jaw. Thranduil's head snapped to the side.

"Avo garo _[Don't do it]_," Legolas warned, thankful when his voice sounded firm despite his extreme exhaustion.

"What can you do to stop me princeling?" Oliner turned to the archer, smiling.

"Dago lle _[Kill you]_," Legolas spat seriously.

The captain sighed. "You are in no position to be making threats, princeling. Do you plan to melt me with your gaze?" His voice was pointedly sarcastic.

Legolas stared straight into Oliner's eyes, his sapphire orbs conveying every feeling of hate and disgust he could manage. The orcs holding him tightened their grip, reminding him that he was a captive. The prince laughed coldly. "Dôl gîn lost_ [Your head is empty]_."

Oliner snarled inhumanly before grabbing the archer's chin in his hand. "You can insult me all you like, Legolas, but it will not change what is about to happen here."

He released Legolas' chin with a downward thrust, sneering confidently. He pulled a small dagger from the folds of his tunic, holding it up so that Legolas could see it clearly. The prince masked his emotions, staring at the weapon indifferently.

"Still so much spirit, even after everything you've been through." Oliner walked over to Aragorn, holding the dagger to his neck. "I wonder whether the human can hold on for as long as you have or whether he will give in more easily. Shall we find out?"

Legolas clenched his jaw. He couldn't allow Oliner to hurt his friend, Aragorn was still his friend. They were just dreams, dreams created by the captain. Aragorn was innocent; he was still a loyal friend. He looked at the ranger, trying to see what was running through his friend's eyes. The silver orbs reflected no fear, only defiance and concern. Concern for Legolas. It broke the elf's heart to see that, despite his situation, the human was more worried for Legolas' wellbeing instead of his own. "Leave him."

The captain's eyes narrowed. He would have thought that, after the dreams, Legolas would be less inclined to defend the human. Their friendship was stronger than he thought. "No."

Aragorn closed his eyes as the blade was pressed harder against his neck. He was overjoyed to know that Legolas still cared for him, still wanted to defend him. It made him feel better, just hearing those two words from the elf's mouth.

"Oliner, if you hurt him, I'll-"

"There is nothing you can do so don't waste your breath," Oliner said, cutting the prince off.

Legolas ground his teeth together, trying to think of a way to save Aragorn. The deranged captain was going to kill them all, painfully. He would not let Aragorn die on this mission, not on this mission he asked him to come on. The dreams would not change his feelings towards the human, he was his greatest friend. He had to believe that. "Oliner, please do not hurt him."

The captain laughed, amused by Legolas' attempts. "Sorry, but you're all going to die anyway." He pressed the blade harder against the ranger's neck, laughing when blood began to dribble down to soak his tunic.

Thranduil looked at Legolas sadly. He knew how much they meant to each other, dreams wouldn't change that. To see each other hurt would tear them up inside. He glared at Oliner distastefully but, honestly, he didn't see a way out of this situation. There were just too many odds against them.

Oliner flashed a grin at Legolas one last time before moving the dagger off to the left and then flashing it back, aiming to slide it across Aragorn's neck.

_

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_

**TBC**

**A/N: Well, wasn't that interesting? Hmm, things don't look too good do they? Feel free to review and tell me how much you love cliffhangers! Two days till update. Sunday! See? Not that long :)**


	18. Pushing Luck To Its Limits

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: Another massive thank you for the reviews! I would die without them, and then there wouldn't be updates. So, thank you!! Oh, and another thing, my plot bunny has discovered a new element which will make this story longer than originally intended. It was going to end a chapter or two after this one, but now it won't. Nasty, little, rabbit, wanting to prolong their suffering. Hahaha. I hope no one minds a longer story? I didn't think so……**

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Chapter Eighteen: Pushing Luck To Its Limits

Aragorn squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the blow that would end his life. It was imminent, less than a second away. He knew he wasn't ready to die but there were some things that one could not control. Death was one of those things.

There was a strangled cry, right next to his ear. It was Oliner, crying out in pain. He opened his eyes, confused. There was no reason for the captain to be feeling pain, not when the dagger was positioned at his neck.

He saw that the dagger was gone, no longer poised to kill. Oliner was clutching his right hand, glowering furiously. Aragorn saw an arrow shaft protruding from the back of the elf's hand. It was of elven make.

He looked over at Legolas. The prince was just as surprised as he was. His eyes were widened and the corners of his lips were twitching slightly. Thranduil was staring at Oliner, a frown creasing his forehead. King and prince smiled at each other before redirecting their gaze to the forest, looking for the one who had shot the arrow.

The orcs gaped at their leader, shocked by what had just happened. They stood there, looking at each other and all but scratching their heads in confusion.

"Fight you fools!" Oliner shrieked hysterically. He had no idea who could have shot the arrow. All the elves were either dead or in his custody.

The orcs instantly snapped into action. All except the ones holding the prisoners turned and began to run towards the forest. They held their swords high, looking for their prey.

As soon as they began to run, arrows flew out of the forest. Hundreds of arrows fell in quick succession. They came from every direction, proving that the orcs were surrounded. The brutes fell under the onslaught, screaming hideously.

Oliner growled and walked over to Thranduil, dagger held threateningly. "Man sen _[What is this]_!?"

Thranduil smiled at Oliner. "I believe you are surrounded."

The captain scowled and rammed his fist into the king's stomach, releasing his anger and frustration. "Manen _[How]_?" He thundered.

The elven king smiled, fighting to regain his breath. "Perhaps your foolishness is responsible."

The orcs fell quickly. They were unprepared for the attack and the elves were hidden, firing arrows expertly. Legolas felt the orcs supporting him fall and he had no choice but to go down with them. His legs would not support him. He looked up and saw Aragorn's guards on the ground as well.

"You have lost, Oliner," Thranduil said coolly, stating it as a fact.

The captain shrieked and drew his falchion. "You will die, Thranduil." He made to thrust the blade into the king's stomach but was stopped as something knocked him to the ground.

Oliner glared up furiously at Aragorn, lashing out with his fist and punching him. The human grunted and fell back, kicking out with his leg. Oliner saw the blow coming and rolled out of the way, reclaiming his falchion.

Aragorn scowled and kicked out again at the elf, this time propelling himself with the blow to give it more strength. He was stopped by a sharp, sudden pain springing through his left leg. A strangled moan escaped his cracked lips.

"Estel!" Legolas yelled, using as much strength as he could muster. He was incredibly exhausted but he wouldn't allow Aragorn to be slain without at least trying. He folded his knees under him, moaning at the effort it cost. He'd never reach his friend in time, he had failed.

"Legolas," Aragorn whispered over the pain in his leg. It was on fire, making him moan again. He shifted to see what had been done to the limb.

Oliner sneered and twisted the blade, laughing when the human gasped. He had embedded his falchion in Aragorn's left leg, just below the knee on the side of the limb. He shifted the blade again, making the ranger hiss in pain.

"Stop it!" Legolas commanded feebly. He looked at his father but the orcs holding the king had still not been shot yet. He wished they'd hurry up and die so that Thranduil could save Aragorn. He moved one leg, trying to put some weight on it and winced as his body seemed to become enveloped in pain. He still pushed forward, ignoring his dimming vision. He was nearly standing.

The captain laughed. "Oh, princeling, you are still trying to give me orders. It's okay, he's just a human, you won't miss him." His attention was still focused on Aragorn, absorbing his pain.

Legolas shook his head. He would miss Aragorn, no matter what the dreams showed him. Aragorn was, and always would be, his best friend and brother. "NO!" He lunged at Oliner, his body too fast to allow the pain to catch up. It was only a matter of time before the agony caused him to collapse so he had to act fast.

Oliner grunted as Legolas knocked into him, making him lose his grip on the falchion, leaving it embedded in the ranger's leg. Aragorn gave a muffled groan and quickly began inspecting his leg, trying to figure out what Oliner had done.

Legolas brought his fist into the elf's face, snapping it to the side. He felt himself repeat the action, knocking his head to the side. And again, he mimicked the attack, trying to ignore the pain swarming his body.

Oliner grunted with every punch, desperately trying to get words out. "Legolas," '_whack', _"release me," _'whack',_ "and…I'll show,"_ 'whack',_ "you mercy……"

Legolas stopped and glared at Oliner furiously. "Mercy? MERCY!? You are a foul creature incapable of mercy and there is no hope for you. You were going to betray your home, all the other elves, for who? 'Sharky'. No, Oliner, I tried to tell you to seek help when you first captured me but you wouldn't listen." He rammed his fist into the captain's jaw again.

Legolas felt pain starting to reclaim his senses. It was catching up, making him moan and drop his fist mid-strike. Oliner laughed coldly. "You are too weak princeling," he taunted through the blood running from his nose and lip.

Legolas hunched over and cried out as every nerve was set alight. His back felt like a warg was digging its claws into it, scratching it harshly. His shoulder was excruciating, the pain unexplainable. He released another cry and felt his legs slacken, allowing Oliner to roll over and pin him.

Oliner grinned down at the prince. "Now, princeling, tell me how much this hurts."

Oliner bent forward, a sadistic, hideous grin contorting his features. Without a warning or a single word, he had unwrapped the shoulder wounds, letting the bandages fall to the ground. Legolas gave him a confused look but his grin only broadened. Then, in a flash too fast for Legolas to see, leaving him unprepared for what was about to happen, Oliner had bent forward again and sunk his teeth into the shoulder wounds.

Agony, pure unrelenting agony spread through his body, making him cry out and squirm desperately. Oliner was biting and sucking at the gash and arrow hole, making the prince gag. The act was truly revolting. Oliner had him pinned securely, and due to his weak state, it didn't take much force to keep him in place.

He cried out again, wriggling under Oliner violently. He had to escape the indescribable pain that wouldn't stop. Oliner just kept assaulting his shoulder, biting, licking and sucking at the blood and flesh. Legolas felt himself convulse in pain and disgust.

He heard himself cry out again and cursed himself inwardly for his weakness. He could feel Oliner's teeth grazing his wound, his tongue caressing the blood. He thrashed continually, trying to escape but he couldn't, Oliner was stronger than him. Then, he heard something apart from the sucking noises coming from Oliner. It was his father, yelling angrily. He could barely make out the words.

"Daro! Daro!" The king yelled, wishing the orcs holding him would just die. They were sniggering at the scene in front of them. "Leave him be!"

Oliner laughed next to Legolas' ear before renewing his torture. Legolas felt himself moaning and crying out but was unable to control himself. He was just too exhausted. The pain shooting through his shoulder was unimaginable. He wriggled and squirmed but Oliner held him still, only encouraged and amused by his efforts to free himself.

"Tell me princeling; explain what you're feeling."

Legolas moaned and shuddered, writhing in Oliner's grip. He couldn't form a word, let alone a sentence. He cried out again, unable to control the pain flooding his awareness. Oliner was enjoying himself, repulsing Legolas even more.

The captain chuckled darkly. "Scream for me, Legolas."

The prince closed his eyes, willing it to stop, to just end. He could feel himself losing consciousness, falling into darkness and all he could do was moan and writhe as the pain continued to blaze throughout his body.

Then, Oliner stopped. It was sudden, he was there one moment and the next he was on his feet, wiping blood from the side of his mouth. The captain chuckled darkly before bending down and dragging Legolas up with him. The prince could not do much to resist and felt Oliner wrap a hand around his throat, holding him securely in front of him.

He opened his eyes, blinking several times to make them adjust and to ward off the encroaching darkness. He saw his father, still held by the two orcs who were now seeking shelter behind a small tree stump to avoid oncoming arrows. He saw Aragorn, wrapping a piece of tunic around his bleeding knee. The ranger was looking at him, eyes wide. "Legolas!"

Legolas frowned at him. What was wrong? Why was Aragorn panicking? He opened his mouth to ask but couldn't form words. He realized, with a jolt, that he couldn't breathe. His airway was blocked by the strong hand holding his windpipe.

He thrashed as much as he could, hating his exhaustion. It didn't take much for Oliner to subdue him. The captain held his hands securely behind his back with his right hand, the left hand still suffocating him. He opened his mouth desperately, begging the air to enter and fill his lungs but each time he got nothing.

"Legolas, what does it feel like to die?" Oliner purred sadistically, ignoring the elves that were now emerging from the bushes, training their arrows on him.

Legolas felt a tear slide down his cheek. He felt his vision dimming, his brain becoming slower, taking longer to figure out what Oliner had said. He tried to breathe but he got nothing and he knew he was going to die.

Oliner laughed and looked up at the elves approaching. "Ah, ah, not another step or you can say goodbye to your precious prince."

Thranduil glared at Oliner, hate and fear glowing in his eyes. He thrashed against his guards, drawing the attention of the elves. Without a moment's hesitation, the orcs were dead, arrows protruding from their thick necks.

Oliner snarled, jiggling the suffocating Legolas threateningly. "Don't push it!"

An elf stepped forward, blonde hair glowing radiantly against his fair face. He stooped down and helped the king to his feet before supporting Aragorn. "Remember me?" The elf asked coldly.

Oliner scowled. "Oh yes, I remember you. So, you reached Mirkwood and got help? I'm impressed."

The elf smiled. "Yes, I got help. As soon as Mirkwood heard of your betrayal and what you had done they sent out fifty warriors without hesitation." He gestured to the surrounding elves. "We wouldn't have found you had it not been for Oloser. We were searching a while away, he led us to you."

Aragorn and Thranduil both turned their heads in the direction the elf's hand was pointing. They saw the magnificent white being standing next to two elves, nuzzling them lovingly. He really had gotten help.

Oliner scowled. "Well, if you come any closer, I shall kill the prince."

Thranduil released a cry of dismay. "Legolas!"

Oliner looked down and saw that the prince had gone limp, his lips a feint blue colour. He released his throat and shook him slightly.

"Legolas, ion nin!" Thranduil yelled, panic lacing his voice. He wanted nothing more than to run forward and help his son. He took a step toward Oliner.

Oliner smiled. "Stay there Thranduil or else I will kill him permanently." He grabbed the prince's head, tilting it back. Without another word he placed his lips to the archer's and began blowing air into his lungs.

The elves and Aragorn watched apprehensively, holding their own breaths. They wanted to surge forward, to see to their prince but Oliner would simply snap the archer's neck.

Oliner continued trying to revive Legolas, now thumping on his chest as well. He grinned broadly when colour began to return to the elf's face and he gasped, coughing violently.

"Now, lower your weapons or he dies. For good."

The elves looked at each other confusedly before looking to their king. Thranduil clenched his jaw, unsure what to do. "If you kill him, you will die before you have a chance to take another breath."

"Then we'll both die," the captain said happily.

Thranduil shifted uneasily. "Surely you value your own life and would not forfeit it so easily?"

Oliner smirked. "You will kill me anyway, to stop the dreams. It matters not whether I surrender or whether I resist, you will kill me." He looked down at the prince, trying to find a chance to execute his backup plan. He knew he wouldn't leave this forest alive, he could admit that easily, so he wanted to put his secondary game into effect. All he had to do was stall until he could inconspicuously attach the device.

"Oliner, leave my son be!" Thranduil yelled, desperately wanting to comfort the prince.

Legolas tried to focus on what was happening but his awareness was bleary. He looked around, noticing several elves. He saw his father, looking at him desperately, he saw Aragorn who was leaning heavily against the elf supporting him and crying silent tears for his friend. Legolas studied the elf he was leaning against, immediately recognizing his face.

"Laythil."

Oliner stared at Legolas. "What? Laythil?" He looked at the warrior who was smiling at the prince. "Yes, he's alive, isn't that good?"

Thranduil and Aragorn perked up, glad that Legolas was still able to talk and that he was even conscious.

Legolas smiled. "Yes, it is good," he breathed. He looked up at Oliner, mocking him through his eyes. The captain gazed back at him, his lip curling. Legolas smiled, chuckling shortly, despite the amount of energy it took.

Oliner was no longer holding him by the neck but his arms were still behind his back and now there was a hand across his neck, resting on his right shoulder, keeping him in a headlock. Oliner began fingering his arrow wound gently and he moaned. The captain continued digging his fingers into the wound on his shoulder inconspicuously, making the prince cry out.

"Oliner, stop!" Thranduil ordered, wincing as Legolas cried out. He couldn't see what is was that Oliner was doing to his son but the foul elf was causing him pain.

The captain smiled sadistically before resting his chin on Legolas' good shoulder so that he could whisper in the prince's ear. "I will not die here, my body might but my mind won't." He pricked the small device Sharky had given him into the inside of the arrow wound.

Legolas screamed as there was an agonizing pain in his shoulder, worse than anything so far. He fell to his knees, surprised when Oliner didn't stop him. He looked up, focusing his bleary eyes and saw his father and Aragorn approaching him. Laythil was on their heels.

He tried to ask what had just happened but only moaned and shuddered. Thranduil rushed over, enveloping his son in a hug. "Legolas, are you alright?"

The prince convulsed. "W-what happened?"

Aragorn rested a hand on his friend's good shoulder. "We don't know, mellon nin. One minute, Oliner was holding you, the next he was falling to the ground, the colour gone from his face."

Legolas frowned and turned his head feebly so that he could see behind him. Oliner was sprawled on the ground, eyes unblinking. He felt confused. "So, he just died?"

Thranduil nodded. "I can't explain it but it appears so. Legolas, why did you scream?"

"My shoulder, it burnt furiously, worse than it did when the poison was flowing through my veins." Legolas felt slightly shocked. It didn't make sense. Oliner had done something to his shoulder before he died; something he didn't think was going to be good. He opened his mouth to voice his concerns but felt something dark fall on his mind, pressing down on him and then he knew nothing.

Thranduil gasped as his son went limp and he desperately began to check his vitals, making sure he was only unconscious. He stood, Legolas cradled in his arms.

Laythil frowned. "How did Oliner just die? There is no wound, he just fell."

Thranduil shook his head. "I do not know, but he is dead. That is all that matters." He turned to the warrior elf. "Raaen is in that tree over there, you must get him to Mirkwood as fast as you can." Laythil nodded and called to another warrior to retrieve Raaen.

Aragorn looked around, smiling when he saw Sinarel getting his side bandaged. He would need stitches. The ranger limped heavily after Thranduil who was heading for the litters the warriors had brought with them.

As they walked through the mass of bodies, they saw the elves were now collecting their dead, sad expressions on all of their faces. They walked past Aluer who was on a litter, her eyes empty and Aragorn felt a tear slide down his cheek. The she-elf had become somewhat of a friend to him. There were other dead elves, resting on litters, their eyes never able to occupy life again. It was truly sad.

The warriors wasted no time, accomplishing their tasks swiftly and without hesitation. They seemed to glide through the carcasses, collecting dead bodies and either moving them to the litters or to a pile ready to be burnt.

As they reached an empty litter, Thranduil placed Legolas down gently. "We must get back to Mirkwood as fast as possible."

Aragorn nodded. "I agree, hir nin, we need healers." He went to pick up one end of Legolas' litter but was stopped by Thranduil.

"Estel," the king's voice was firm. "You must take a litter; your leg will give out after a short amount of walking."

Aragorn frowned. "As must you, my king, for your leg is also injured."

Thranduil nodded curtly. "We will both use litters."

Aragorn nodded and laid down on one of the unoccupied litters. Thranduil also found a litter, making sure he was not far from Legolas. Instantly, elves came over and picked them up. Some stayed behind to burn the orc carcasses but the majority of the group surged forward to help carry the bodies back to the city.

Laythil was walking next to Thranduil's litter, frowning thoughtfully. "Hir nin, I cannot think of a suitable reason for Oliner's sudden death."

Thranduil sighed. "Neither can I, it is strange. He was lively and cocky one moment and then he collapsed. Perhaps he had been poisoned accidentally, just a basic mistake. I am guessing it was just foolishness on his part. I am glad though, for Legolas is okay now. He will be okay."

Laythil smiled. "Yes, my king, I have told the healers to be prepared. He will be up and back to normal in no time."

Thranduil nodded in thanks and stared at his unconscious son sadly. He felt unnerved by Oliner's death, despite his words but he wouldn't let it interfere with this victory. They were okay and would be home soon. He smiled and closed his eyes gently, finally feeling an inkling of peace.

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Aragorn smiled at the healer. "Hannon lle."

The elf smiled in return and went to check on Legolas. The prince had been unconscious for three days now, not even stirring. His breath was the only thing that let them know he was alive.

Aragorn studied his leg, glad that it had stopped throbbing. It was healing well, no signs of infection. Thranduil had the same result with his leg, they were both lucky.

The king had stayed in the healing ward for one day before demanding to be let go. He had had things to carry out, such as the final farewells for the dead elves and making sure that the rest of the orcs were hunted down.

"How is he?" Aragorn asked the healer, frowning at Legolas worriedly.

The she-elf smiled. "He is the same as he was yesterday. There is no change. His wounds are healing, which is good but it is almost as if his mind has shut down to make the repairs."

The ranger nodded. "Can you tell if he will awaken soon?"

The elf smiled. "No, that is up to him. His body needs rest, time to fix. There is no infection though, he will be okay." She gently placed a wet rag to Legolas' mouth, filling it with as much water as possible.

Aragorn rested back against the pillows, resigning himself to another boring day of waiting. Waiting to heal, waiting for Legolas to wake up, waiting for the next herb to be forced down his throat, waiting for tomorrow, he was always waiting. He had been for the past three days.

He wanted, more than anything, Legolas to wake up. He wanted to see his friends' sapphire orbs looking at him, wanted to see the elf's upturned lips smiling at him. He wanted to hear the prince's musical voice telling him he still trusted him. But, all he could do was wait, wait and hope.

He looked across at Raaen and Sinarel who were both unconscious. Sinarel had needed stitches and was now experiencing the effects of a certain herb Lord Elrond knew well. He would make a speedy recovery.

Raaen had not been as lucky. After having the arrow in for so long, the wound had closed up. They had had to reopen the wound and remove the arrow, much to Raaen's distress. It had then bled freely, Raaen had nearly died. He would have, had it not been for the speedy actions of the healers. They had stitched it up quickly. Though, he now had a fever from the infected wound.

Aragorn had tried to leave the ward several times and each time the healer had forced a herb down his throat and he'd awaken to find it was the next day. He knew part of what was happening outside, Thranduil visited regularly to check on his son, but he wanted to know more.

He knew a majority of the orcs had been disposed of and that there were only a select few scattered throughout the forest. He also knew that there were quite a few grieving elves mourning their lost loved ones. They had been lamenting and singing songs for the past few days. It broke Aragorn's heart to hear their sad voices.

He also knew that Oliner's body had been burnt, no traces left of his foul existence. Though, no one could yet explain the strange occurrence of his death. He appeared to be in fine health, no grievous wounds but he was just empty. It was a mystery, one that was rarely talked about by Thranduil. The king was just glad it was over.

Aragorn looked again at Legolas, growing impatient waiting for the elf to wake up. At least, now, there was no danger. They weren't fearing for their lives or struggling to stay alive, they were waiting. Continuously waiting.

He smiled to himself. They were safe, protected by the walls. Oliner was gone, they were safe. He liked that conclusion, it was a fitting one. He sighed and returned to his waiting. They were safe.

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**TBC**

**A/N: Awww, you hear that? They're safe. Doesn't that make you all happy? Hehehe, enjoy it while it lasts. The next chapter will be up in two days, to keep the flow. So hopefully Tuesday. Please review, pretty please? :)**


	19. Awakening

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, I live off of them!! Well, let's continue with the story and see if we can have some of our questions answered……**

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Chapter Nineteen: Awakening

Legolas looked around, confused. He was floating, gliding through the blackness. He didn't know where he was but it wasn't real, he knew that. Was he in his mind? He couldn't tell, only knew that it was lonely in this place. There was no one else; he was isolated in the blackness.

He tilted his head, listening for any sounds that could give him a clue as to where he was. He felt claustrophobic, it was completely dark and he felt as if it was squashing him. It was caressing his body, pushing against him. Wherever he was, he didn't like it.

He tried to move forward, only to fall to the ground. There was a ground now, a black ground. It was flat and sturdy but it didn't lessen the blackness. He stood shakily; glad when his legs held his weight.

He took a step forward, his feet landing on the blackness. He didn't know what to call this place, so he stuck with 'blackness', it seemed to describe it perfectly. He walked forward, gaining speed as he realized the blackness was not going to give out, he could walk on it easily.

Again, he looked around, searching for anyone who could tell him where he was. He felt confused. He tried to recall what had happened after Oliner had had him in a choke hold. The captain had whispered something in his ear, right before there was an unexplainable agony in his shoulder. Then, Oliner had died and he had ended up in this place. Perhaps he was dreaming. Perhaps this was his minds way of resetting itself and making things normal.

He continued walking, growing more and more frustrated with each step. It felt as if he wasn't moving, just walking on the spot. The blackness never changed, it just stayed still and bleak.

He decided to see if he could talk, perhaps he could call to someone for help. He stopped walking, not that it made a difference, and opened his mouth. "Hello!?"

He could talk! His voice echoed in the blackness, growing softer and softer. He peered around, seeing if anyone else had heard the call. There was a flash of white, the smallest flash, just to his right. He turned in that direction eagerly, wanting to see something other than blackness. But, as he did, he felt his insides shrivel and knot.

"There's no need to yell."

Legolas took a step back, eyes widening. It couldn't be, this was over, it had ended. He stared at Oliner, blinking several times but the elf didn't disappear.

"Yes, princeling, take a good long look." Oliner moved closer through the blackness, walking smoothly.

"You're dead," Legolas accused, frowning at the elf.

"Yes and no. My body is dead."

Legolas shook his head. "No, you died. All of you, you just fell. Where are we?"

Oliner smirked and moved to stand directly in front of Legolas, hovering over the blackness. "We are experiencing the effects the device I burrowed into your arrow wound. This is, in a way, your conscience."

Legolas frowned. "What did you put in my shoulder?"

"A device, made by Sharky," Oliner said happily. "One simply attaches it to the flesh of a person and that makes them their vessel. Another perk is that it is completely undetectable unless you look extremely close. It camouflages in with its surroundings, hiding itself. If the healers inspect your wound that thoroughly, it will only look like the rest of the flesh in your shoulder. They won't think anything of it.

Legolas groaned. "What is a vessel?"

The captain grinned. "A vessel serves as an incubator. Now that you have the device on your flesh, it killed me. That is because I am the one who put it there. My consciousness was then transferred to your body. Sharky is a genius, he creates the best little toys."

Legolas' eyes widened. "So, your consciousness is in my body!?"

"Indeed, princeling. The thing is, I can't have you fighting back. I am in control here." The captain lashed out and punched Legolas, knocking him backwards.

Legolas felt his back hit the blackness and blood run from his nose. He gazed up at Oliner. "You want to control my body!? Never!" He swung his leg around, tripping the elf.

Oliner landed with a grunt. "I'm afraid I have to take your body, I've come too far to simply let you best me." He stood and rushed Legolas, knocking them both to the ground. "Don't worry, princeling, I'll tell dear daddy you said 'hi'."

Legolas glared up at the horrid elf, trying to wriggle free of the captain's pin but before he could so much as buck, his world went even blacker as Oliner's forehead connected with his own.

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Thranduil smiled down at his son, glad that his wounds were healing. The marks on his back were now no more than scabs and would heal quickly. The arrow wound on the prince's left forearm was still wrapped in a bandage but it was little more than a scab itself.

Legolas' right shoulder was the most threatening of all the injuries, though it was now under control. It had been cleaned several times, bandaged and stitched. Legolas had remained unconscious throughout the whole process, barely twitching. The arrow wound, where Oliner had shot Legolas with the poisoned arrow was healing rather fast, already crusting over and smoothing out. The gash was still gruesome to look at but it wouldn't pain the prince like it had.

The healers had examined the arrow hole for any signs of an invasive substance but it was clean, nothing but flesh. So, it had been bandaged and allowed to heal at its own pace, which was abnormally fast. Thranduil had panicked that Oliner had infected the wound somehow but there was nothing, leading them to the conclusion that Legolas had screamed from the trauma of the past week combined with Oliner fingering the arrow wound. That was the best guess they had.

"He will awaken soon, my king," Aragorn said comfortingly from beside Thranduil. He had been released from the ward yesterday, now able to walk on his leg. Thranduil didn't limp anymore either, though he should have allowed his thigh time to heal properly.

The elven king nodded. "I know, I just want to hear him speak. To know he's alright."

"We all do," Aragorn smiled. "His body and mind have been traumatized; he may need to sleep for days."

Thranduil sighed sadly. "It has already been days." He rubbed his son's cheek affectionately. "Oh, ion nin, wake up."

Aragorn smiled at the king before walking over to see Sinarel and Raaen. Sinarel was conscious and looking at Thranduil in a sympathetic manner. "Estel," he greeted.

The human grinned at the elf. He glanced at Raaen, who was still asleep thanks to the healers. "So, how do you feel?"

Sinarel chuckled softly, it was barely audible. "The pain has lessened and the wound is healing, so, overall, rather fine."

"That is good," the ranger nodded. He looked at the thick bandage wrapped around the elf's midsection.

"How does your leg feel?"

Aragorn smiled at the elven warrior. "It pains me only slightly, it is fine."

Sinarel nodded and smiled at the ranger, relief carved into his face. Everyone was glad to be out of the forest, to be safe within the city. Not all wounds had healed, though they'd made a relatively fast start.

"Estel!" Thranduil cried to the human.

Aragorn whipped around and stalked back to Legolas' bedside. He gazed at Thranduil intently, waiting to hear what had been so urgent. The king only smiled hugely at him before gesturing to the bed.

Aragorn's head snapped down and he felt a wide grin contort his face as he gazed into Legolas' sapphire eyes. "Mellon nin."

"Estel," the elf muttered, looking around. His eyes fell on Thranduil. "Ada."

"How do you feel?" The king asked, trying to control himself. They had been waiting for Legolas to awaken for days and now that he was conscious, the elven king wanted nothing more than to embrace him tightly and never release him.

Legolas closed his eyes for a few moments before reopening them and smiling at his father. "I feel good Ada, the pain is less. How fares the others?"

Thranduil nodded, pleased Legolas was okay. "Sinarel is recovering fast and will not have to stay in here much longer. Raaen is also healing, though he will be in here for at least another week or two, perhaps more."

Legolas nodded and moved into a sitting position, leaning against the pillows. He looked around curiously, inspecting his surroundings. "How much longer will I need to stay here?"

Thranduil sighed. "Your wounds are healing well, ion nin, though you have only just woke up. At least for the rest of the day, please?" The king knew Legolas would not want to stay in the ward for long.

The archer frowned but then nodded. "As you wish, Ada. I do not want to overexert myself."

The king smiled, glad Legolas was not being his usual stubborn self. "Are you hungry?"

Legolas tilted his head. "Yes, I believe I am. Out in the woods, I didn't realize just how hungry I was."

Thranduil nodded. "I will find you something to eat." He gave his son's hand a quick squeeze before leaving the room, going in search of some food.

Aragorn smiled at his friend, glad that the waiting was over. "Legolas, mellon nin, it is good to see you awake and in seemingly good health again."

Legolas peered at the ranger, as if trying to solve a difficult puzzle. "Aragorn."

The human nodded. "Yes, Legolas, it is I." He touched the elf's arm gently. "Ah, mellon nin, we spend too much time in the healing ward." He chuckled lightly.

The prince frowned and drew his arm out of Aragorn's reach. "Please, Aragorn, leave me rest."

Aragorn froze, completely and utterly stopped. He gazed at the elf, his best friend, and slowly began to comprehend that the elf didn't want to talk to him. "Legolas?"

The archer sighed. "Estel, please, I wish to rest and I cannot with you talking. So, I ask you again, please leave."

His heart stopped, of that he was sure. Legolas would never ask him to leave whilst he was healing, what was wrong with his friend? Was he still not trusting him? "Legolas, I am only here to make sure that you are okay. You have been through a lot."

"Aragorn, I know you care, you have proven that more than once," the prince sighed. "I just want to be left in peace. You are not exactly the person I want to see right now."

"Legolas, you are my best friend. I hope you do not think I would hurt you, they were just Oliner's foul tricks." Aragorn felt hurt, like his heart had just been torn out. "Please, Legolas, what will it take for you to trust me again?"

Legolas sat up straighter, looking coolly at the ranger. "Aragorn, I want you to go. Do you no longer understand me? Leave."

"No, Legolas, I will not leave." The human sat down in a chair stubbornly. "We are best friends and I am going to stay right here until you remember that."

The archer raised an eyebrow. "Then, human, you will be there for quite some time."

His heart was gone, it had to be for all that was left in Aragorn's chest was a giant, gaping hole. He couldn't believe the words emanating from Legolas' mouth. He had waited for this, to hear and converse with his best friend, but now he just wanted to weep. Why could Legolas not trust him? The dreams had stopped.

"Tell me Aragorn, what do you hope to gain by staying here? All you will do is infuriate me further."

Aragorn frowned at the elf, still unable to hear the words properly. "Lle mellon nin an-uir _[Forever you are my friend]._"

Legolas tilted his head again, gazing at the ranger coldly. "Im ú-draston_ [I don't care]_."

Aragorn felt a tear slide down his cheek. "Legolas, why are you saying these things? I love you like a brother. Please, do not say this. Saes."

The prince laughed harshly. "Why do you not want to hear it, Estel? Is it because, perhaps, you know it is the truth and you cannot handle it?"

"No, Legolas, it is because I know you do not mean it!" The human sobbed, unable to hold back the tears. "Gwador nin_ [My sworn brother],_ I know you do not mean what you say."

The elf sneered at Aragorn. "If I did not mean it, then what would be the use in saying it?"

"Hir nin, daro," Sinarel's voice called from another bed.

Legolas turned to face the elf. "Are you telling me what to do, warrior?"

Sinarel frowned. "Prince Legolas, I meant no disrespect, but you are being rather harsh to your friend. He has hardly left the healing ward, my lord, refusing to be away from your side for more than a few minutes."

Legolas chuckled though the sound was not musical, like it normally was, it was harsh. "Sinarel, you are out of place. I suggest you think before you speak."

The warrior's eyes widened as he stared at Legolas in shock. "Hir nin, do you feel alright? Perhaps you have knocked your head?"

Legolas glowered angrily. "How dare you! I am perfectly fine, Sinarel, and I really do suggest you remember your place." He turned to Aragorn. "Well, edan, why are you still here?"

Aragorn felt tears slide down his cheeks, no longer under his control. "Legolas, please stop."

"No." Legolas sat forward and glared at the human. "Aragorn, I believe that there can no longer be a friendship between us. Leave me!"

More tears streaked down the ranger's face at Legolas' words. He couldn't believe his friend was talking like this. "Legolas, I'm sorry."

Legolas smiled, the expression was slightly sadistic. "It is too late for apologies, edan, the damage has been done."

"I have done nothing to you, Legolas! I would never-"

"Daro," Legolas interrupted, holding up a hand. "I no longer wish to hear your voice."

Aragorn released a sob, no longer trying to control his absolute depression. This was it, the end of his most priceless friendship and he could do nothing to salvage it. Legolas was unwilling to try. He released another sob before standing and walking towards the door, he had to restrain himself from sprinting out of the room. Once in his room, perhaps he could clear his mind and think of a way to make Legolas trust him again.

Legolas smiled as Aragorn left, satisfied. "Finally. Nauthannen i ú-ledhir _[I thought he would never leave]_."

Sinarel raised an eyebrow. "My Prince, why did you wish for him to go? He is your greatest friend."

Legolas turned to Sinarel, his face cold, no compassion there whatsoever. "Because I have not the time for him, and I simply wish to rest."

The warrior frowned. "Perhaps rest would do you good, my lord. But, was it necessary to hurt Estel so?"

The archer nodded, grinning slightly. "Yes it was, Sinarel, it was the only way to make him go away. He is stubborn and will try to rebuild our friendship; he needs to realize it's gone."

Sinarel's frown deepened but he didn't comment. He couldn't explain what was wrong with his prince, the usually cheery, joyous, understanding prince. He blamed it on his past days of unconsciousness, perhaps he had not awoken fully yet.

"Sinarel, you are unnerving me. I am not here for you to gawk at."

The warrior shifted uncomfortably as he realized he had been staring at Legolas intently, not blinking. "I apologize, hir nin."

"So you should," Legolas remarked icily. He smiled as the elf gaped at him in surprise.

"I have located for you, ion nin, some fine soup from the kitchens," Thranduil announced as he gracefully entered the room, a bowl in one hand.

Legolas smiled at his father. "Hannon lle, Ada."

The king carried the soup over, nodding in greeting to Sinarel who had now closed his mouth. "Here you go, Legolas."

The prince accepted the proffered bowl, inhaling its scent deeply. He began lifting spoonfuls of soup to his mouth and blowing on them.

"Where did Estel go?" Thranduil sat on the bed next to Legolas' legs.

"He had to leave," Legolas replied.

"Why?"

The archer smiled at his father slightly. "I do not know, perhaps he had other business to attend to?" Inconspicuously, he shot Sinarel a glare, daring him to try and say otherwise. The warrior shifted uncomfortably but dipped his head respectably, unwilling to interfere.

Thranduil frowned. It didn't make sense. Aragorn had spent most of his days in the healing ward, sitting by Legolas' side and singing to the elf. He would talk to him about past adventures and read him old poems, comforting the prince. For him to leave, now that Legolas was awake, was strange.

"Do not worry Ada, I will visit him when I am allowed to leave," Legolas pushed.

Thranduil frowned but nodded. "Are you sure you feel okay?"

The archer smiled at his father. "Yes, I assure you I am fine."

The king nodded and patted his son's leg gently, still thrilled to see the elf conscious. The healers were not worried; they said he was fine, just asleep. Thranduil knew he should probably go and fetch a healer but he didn't want to leave his son again.

"Legolas, if you start to feel unwell or if you desire anything, do not hesitate to alert someone." Thranduil stood again, smiling comfortingly at his son.

"I won't," the prince assured, nodding. He lifted another mouthful of soup to his lips.

"Oh, ion nin, it is good to see you recovering," the king said happily.

Legolas raised an eyebrow. "Ada, I am tired. I wish to sleep."

"Of course," Thranduil said, frowning slightly. "I will leave you in peace." He rubbed his son's hand gently before disappearing out the door.

Sinarel frowned at Legolas, trying to figure out his strange behavior. "Why did you do that, hir nin?"

Legolas snapped his azure eyes to Sinarel's emerald ones. "I want to be left alone. I also want to be left in peace, so, please be silent."

Sinarel shook his head slightly. He couldn't explain it, but his prince was acting different. Legolas never told people to leave him when he was in the healing ward, especially his father and best friend. Perhaps it just really was his injuries and he would find himself soon.

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**TBC**

**A/N: Hooray, chapter nineteen! YAY! Well, that chapter wasn't too eventful and it was short, but I hope you all enjoyed it anyway. Two days, hopefully, till update. That should make it Thursday. Do review; it makes this story worth it :)**


	20. Confusion

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: Thank you everyone for the reviews, I love them so much!! OMG! Look, nearly 100!! *Does a happy dance* You, my faithful little reviewers, can make it possible! You know you want to, it'll make me happy. I would be tremendously thrilled to have a three digit review count! Oh, I'm all giddy just thinking about it, and I'm rambling. YAY! YAY! YAY! Hehehe, imagine what I'll be like if I actually reach 100......wait......_WHEN_ I reach 100. Right ? RIGHT?**

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Chapter Twenty: Confusion

Aragorn examined his boots. He inspected the assortment of creatures and dirt that had been squished into the many creases of the sole, contemplating giving them a wash. Then again, perhaps shoe soles were supposed to be dirty.

He knew he was just trying to avoid thinking about the inevitable. He sighed; it was time to face the thoughts that were desperate to make him miserable. He didn't know what to make of Legolas' actions; the elf had clearly stated that he didn't want to see the ranger. It broke his heart; he had thought Legolas' trust was healing.

He stood from the small chair and began pacing; perhaps it would help him think. He had been isolated in this small room for at least a day already, a day of sitting down and doing absolutely nothing. He knew that Legolas was probably now out of the healing ward and he desperately wanted to see the archer, to have a proper chat, but he couldn't bring himself to leave the confines of this small room.

He had not seen anyone for the hours he'd spent in isolation, but he preferred it that way. He wanted to think, not be pestered by elves asking him if he needed anything or if he was alright. He wanted to spend time with Legolas, but he didn't know how to go about doing that. He wanted to win Legolas' trust back, despite the fact he had done nothing to have it lost.

He was actually surprised so much time had passed; he had not been doing anything but sitting and staring off vaguely. He had just been replaying the past two weeks in his head. His journey to Mirkwood, the survival game in the forest, and then being rescued. He had avoided reliving the incident in the healing ward but he knew that now he would have to man up and face it.

Legolas was his best friend, and he would do everything within his power to help the elf remember that. He knew how traumatized Legolas must be, but he wouldn't give up something as priceless as their friendship without a fight.

Perhaps the archer just needed time. Time could heal a lot of wounds, though he just hoped they would heal before they became scars. He felt his eyes dampen as he paced, expressing the depression he felt at the thought of Legolas no longer wishing to be his friend.

His feet stopped moving along the floor, becoming stationary, but he hardly noticed. He touched his wet eyes gently, knowing that he was losing control of his emotions. The words Legolas had spoken had cut him deeply; they had been as painful as any torture he had experienced. But still, he wanted the elf to forgive him; he couldn't help but feel responsible somehow.

He walked back over to the chair, his legs growing weak under him. He needed to rest, to rest and think. But thinking hurt, it hurt as much as the real memory did. He remembered Legolas laughing coldly at him, telling him he no longer wanted a friendship between them, and those memories were pure agony. He felt more tears slide down his cheeks as he rested back in the chair.

He remembered some of the previous adventures the elf and him had experienced. They had been tortured before, they had been captured, beaten, hunted, stalked, attacked, they had faced some true horrors, but they had always had each other. No matter what miserable situation they found themselves in, they had always had one another to support them. Now, however, Legolas had said he wanted that to stop.

He couldn't imagine what his life would be like without the Prince of Mirkwood at his side. His friend was a source of comfort and support. Without him, he would be missing something. Legolas was like a brother to him, it would be similar to losing Elladan or Elrohir. He felt a sob escape his lips as he thought about it; about how alone he would be without Legolas.

He felt more tears slide down his cheeks before he jumped slightly as there was a soft knock at his door. He gazed at the doorway curiously, wondering who would disturb him after so long. "Enter."

Aragorn felt his stomach drop as he gazed at the familiar, blonde elf that had just strode into his small room. His piercing turquoise eyes gazed at the human intently. "Suil _[Greetings]_ Estel."

"Legolas," Aragorn whispered as he stood, hastily rubbing the tears from his cheeks.

"What is the matter?"

Aragorn frowned at the question. "Nothing."

Legolas raised an eyebrow as he closed the door. As his back was turned Aragorn noticed his shoulder scabbard, the blades residing there. "Why are you armed?"

The archer turned back, pursing his lips. "I do not feel comfortable being unarmed, not after all that has happened." He gestured at the ranger. "Why were you crying?"

Aragorn sighed in defeat. "I was just thinking, Legolas."

"About what?"

The human swallowed dryly. "About what happened in the healing ward."

The elf's eyebrows shot up. "Really? I don't see how that would make one cry."

Aragorn frowned at his friend, still unable to believe his behavior. "Legolas, I do not want our friendship to end. I love you like a brother."

"Too bad, edan. Unfortunately, the feeling is not mutual." Legolas sauntered forward, examining Aragorn curiously.

"Legolas, please, no matter what you say I will always consider you a friend," the human whispered as more tears flowed down his cheeks.

Legolas cocked his head to the side. "Aragorn, if you do not cease this unhealthy obsession with me I will be forced to send you back to Rivendell right now. As it is, I have thought it best to have you leave within a week."

"No," Aragorn moaned. "No, Legolas, I need you to think clearly. I am your friend." He was wrong, time had not helped, not one bit. Time was never going to heal this wound, he had to.

"No you're not and the sooner you realize that the better it will be for everyone," Legolas drawled, gazing at the ceiling distractedly.

Aragorn reached forward and grabbed Legolas' good shoulder, ignoring the elf's attempts to pull away. "Mellon nin, I do not believe you are thinking right. Remember all we've been through? Surely you will not let one single deranged elf take all that away?"

"Unhand me!" The archer snapped, pushing Aragorn back harshly. The human stumbled and gaped at Legolas.

"Legolas……"

"Dina!" The prince commanded furiously. "Aragorn, I do not know what is wrong with you but I hate you! Can you not understand that? You are interfering, I need to be rid of you as fast as possible and you are just too stubborn to know when you are not wanted."

"Why do you want me gone?" Aragorn frowned, making sure to speak carefully. He could tell the elf was on edge and he didn't want to push him.

Legolas laughed coldly. "Because I hate you! Are you lacking intelligence?" He unsheathed the blades on his back, twirling them in his hands contemplatively.

The ranger's eyes widened as he took a step back. "Legolas, what are you doing?"

The archer smirked. "Removing you from the picture. You, edan, are first on the list. This truly is a great way to do things. This plan allows me to eliminate both the King of Mirkwood and the future King of Gondor."

"What!?" The human gasped. "You want to kill King Thranduil? Legolas, what is wrong with you!?" He backpedaled quickly. He did not want to hurt his friend but the prince seemed intent on fighting. He did not know what was wrong with the elf.

"Nothing," Legolas laughed, approaching Aragorn swiftly. He lifted his knives and slashed down quickly, chuckling when the ranger dodged and circled behind him.

"There is something wrong with you, you wouldn't do this." Aragorn scanned the area for his sword, spotting it near the chair he had been lounging on. The hilt was visible from underneath it. "Legolas, please calm down."

"Estel, I am fine." Legolas lunged at the human, scowling slightly as Aragorn's reflexes saved him in time. "This is me, this is what I am."

"Legolas Thranduilion would not try and hurt his father or his best friend. What is wrong?" Aragorn dived for his sword, sweeping it from the ground. He turned and brought it up as Legolas white knives crashed down on him.

The elf smiled as he was blocked. "I am going to kill you, Aragorn son of Arathorn, and I am going to enjoy it." He swirled out before ducking to the right and swinging out for the human's hip.

Aragorn brought his sword down to parry the blow. He knew he was at a disadvantage, he could not match an elf's skills no matter how exceptional he was. He also knew, with a cracking heart, that the prince was fighting to kill. He couldn't think of any reason why Legolas would want to kill him or Thranduil. What was wrong with the archer?

"I will watch you bleed, Estel," Legolas taunted as he swung out again, only to come back and meet Aragorn in mid-air. It was almost a dance.

"I do not know what is wrong with you, mellon nin, but I will help you," Aragorn whispered as he parried Legolas' blow again and crouched down. He swept his leg out, trying to trip the elf but Legolas dodged, jumping agilely out of the way.

"I do not need help edan, I am perfectly fine." Legolas slashed his blades down, aiming for the human's legs but Aragorn rolled out of the way and stood. He turned to meet the elf mid-charge.

"I am sorry, mellon nin, but this is not you," Aragorn ground out despite the pain shooting through his leg. He knew it was too early to be straining the joint but he couldn't help it, Legolas was insistent. The elf's forehead gleamed with sweat, proving that he, too, was finding the fight exhausting.

"I am afraid you're wrong. This is me." The prince twirled to the left, swinging his knives up and then down. He growled softly as Aragorn met him. The human was better than he had first thought.

Aragorn frowned. Legolas was not fighting as accurately as he normally was. He was also slowed; he easily saw the elf's movements. It was almost as if the archer had forgotten how to use his body as easily as he had, as if he was rusty. He pushed the prince back before crouching and kicking up harshly. He winced as his strong boot connected with the tender region of his friend.

Legolas moaned softly and fell to his knees, pain shooting through his pelvis. He groaned again as he felt his head reefed back by his hair and a blade positioned at his throat.

"I am sorry, Legolas, I had no wish to do that," Aragorn said sympathetically as the elf groaned again. He kicked the twin knives away from the archer, making sure they were out of reach. "Why?"

The prince sneered but it quickly turned into a grimace as more pain shot through his body. "I want Mirkwood."

The human frowned. There was something terribly wrong with the archer. "Legolas, tell me what is wrong. Did Oliner do something to you?"

The prince hung his head for a moment and Aragorn had thought he had fallen unconscious. He tilted Legolas' head upwards, shaking him slightly until his eyes reopened.

The elf looked at Aragorn sadly, his eyes conveying confusion and agony. The sapphire orbs were glazed with pain, and not just from the fight. There was a deep pain within them. He also looked confused, as if he had just awoken from a bad dream. "Estel? Mellon nin, don't trust him, he has me!" Legolas' eyes rolled back in his head as he went limp in the ranger's arms.

Aragorn gasped and checked the elf's pulse. It was still strong, he was just unconscious. He shook his head. He needed to find out what was wrong with the prince, Oliner had done something. He also felt better at the fact that Legolas had called him 'mellon nin', if only for a brief moment. He didn't know what to make of this incident but thought it best to get him to Thranduil.

He picked Legolas up carefully, not struggling under the elf's light weight. He moved to the door, opening it hastily and scurrying into the hall. He turned and walked down the hall briskly, making his way to the healing ward. That was the best place he could think of for the delusional prince.

He reached the ward quickly and pushed past the door, shouting urgently for a healer. Almost instantly an elf appeared, gazing at Legolas in shock. "What happened?" She asked, leading Aragorn to an empty bed.

Aragorn laid the prince out on the bed. "I don't know. He attacked me, saying he wants Mirkwood. I think Oliner might have done something to him. He wasn't acting normal."

The she-elf nodded. "I will send for King Thranduil." She glided away for a moment before returning a few minutes later with a small bowl. "I have sent for the King, he will be here within a matter of minutes."

Aragorn smiled, glad Thranduil would be here soon. "What is that?" He gestured to the small bowl.

"Crushed herbs. They will reduce any pain he may be feeling and help to clear his mind." She began administering them immediately, shoving them down Legolas' throat.

Aragorn watched nervously, still confused by what had happened. This couldn't be Legolas, not the Legolas he knew. Oliner was playing another sick game; that was the best conclusion he had.

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Legolas gasped as his eyes focused. He thought for a moment that perhaps he had gone blind, but that was just the blackness. It had not diminished any. He sat up, holding his pounding head. Then, the memories came rushing back. He remembered Oliner grappling with him and then knocking him out.

He stood, forcing his legs to remain still and not shake. He looked around and, sure enough, Oliner was nearby. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be experiencing human sleep, except he was standing upright.

Legolas then remembered Oliner telling him he wanted control over his consciousness. He growled and marched forward, desperate to stop Oliner from doing whatever it was he was doing. Perhaps the captain had control over his body, bending it to his will and creating some irreparable damage.

The prince scowled and stopped next to Oliner. The other elf didn't react, only remained immobile. Legolas studied him curiously before lifting a hand and ramming his fist into the captain's jaw.

Oliner's head snapped back and he fell to the ground, landing on his back. His eyes snapped open and he glared around, looking for the interruption. His eyes fell on Legolas and he scowled darkly.

"What were you doing!?" Legolas thundered. He kicked out sharply with his foot, smiling as it connected with the captain's head.

There was a sickening blur before Legolas saw Aragorn's face. The blackness was gone, he was now in a room. He looked into his friend's silver eyes, realizing he had just taken control of his body for a few short moments. He needed to tell Aragorn as much as he could before he was sent back into the blackness.

"Estel? Mellon nin, don't trust him, he has me!" He muttered as fast as possible but he already felt the blackness tugging at his mind. He tried to cling on, not wanting to be alone with Oliner again. He wanted to stay with his friend, looking into those familiar silver eyes.

He felt nausea roll over him before he was looking upon the terrible blackness. Before he had a chance to move there was a sharp pain in his side and he found himself on his side, now parallel with the black ground.

He hissed in pain and looked up at Oliner who was snarling angrily. He had a bleeding lip and a large bruise already forming on his left temple. The captain shook his head at the prince. "That was a big mistake."

Legolas shuffled backwards, glaring at Oliner angrily. "You were using my body! How much damage did you do?"

The captain grinned. "Quite a lot, you should have seen the look on the edan's face. Priceless."

"No," Legolas gasped. "What did you do to him?"

"Taught him a lesson, had a chat with him."

"What did you say!?" Legolas snarled.

"Only what he deserved to hear. I don't think he thinks you like him very much," Oliner purred. "I almost killed him."

"What!?" Legolas stood, feeling furious. "You used _my_ body to try and kill my best friend!? No!"

"Oh, but yes." Oliner drew closer to the prince. "You should have seen the look on his face."

Legolas shook his head. "No, no, he will know it's not me. Why would I try and kill him?" He frowned. "Why did you try and kill him? What do you gain from killing Estel?"

The captain laughed. "Oh, what could I possibly gain from killing the future King of Gondor? Hmm, that is a tricky one. Oh, and your father's next on the list. How better to destroy a city, then from the inside?"

"No! I won't let you," Legolas yelled, swinging out with his fist. It caught Oliner in the chin and he stumbled back.

"Stupid princeling!" He cursed. He touched his sore chin tentatively, swearing. "You will not have a choice in the matter."

Legolas glared at the elf defiantly, angry at what he had done. He didn't know what Oliner had said to his father or how badly he had injured Estel. He felt the ball of rage in his stomach grow until it was a volcanic lava pit. "You will not harm my father or Estel!"

"Oh, but little princeling, how will you stop me?" Oliner stalked closer and lashed out at Legolas' face, knocking him back.

Legolas grunted and tried to stay on his feet, not wanting to give Oliner any chance to gain the upper hand. He spun to the right and leapt at Oliner, tackling him to the ground.

Oliner cursed as he was rammed into the blackness, all the air being knocked out of him. He glared up at Legolas, trying to free his hands.

"Still so cocky?" The archer taunted icily, anger lacing his voice thickly. "I will stop you."

Oliner grinned. "We'll see." He stopped struggling, realizing he wasn't going to knock the prince off.

Legolas frowned down at the captain. When Oliner had taken over his body, he had knocked him out. So, if that theory was anything to judge by, knocking Oliner out would give him control over his body.

"Take your time," Oliner drawled indifferently.

Legolas scowled. "Why did you even do this? You gave up your own existence to get in my head. You did not even think it all the way through, there are a lot of flaws. Such as this, you underestimated me."

Oliner raised an eyebrow. "I was trapped, they were going to kill me no matter what. When I have accomplished my goal, winning Mirkwood, Sharky will return to me my own body. He has the power, which is why I aligned myself with him."

Legolas glowered furiously at the captain, before lifting his arm and ramming his fist into Oliner's jaw. He repeated the action, finding it hard to stop. Why would the elf simply not die?

Oliner grunted with each hit, knowing the prince was growing angrier. He also smiled slightly at the fact that Legolas had released his left arm to bash his fist into his face. He reacted quickly, punching Legolas in the side, hitting him in the soft area between the hip and rib.

Legolas stifled a moan and gasped as Oliner rolled over on top of him, now pinning him to the blackness. He cursed in elvish before spitting at the elf furiously, determined to stop him.

Oliner grimaced and wiped the saliva from his cheek. "I am a very busy elf, princeling. I have not the time for this." He moved his hands, quick as a flash, and grabbed Legolas' head. The prince's eyes widened before his head was rammed forcibly into the ground, smashing into the blackness.

His vision blurred, Oliner beginning to fade and he realized, with a jolt of fear, that he was powerless to stop the captain from using his body to wreak some of the worst pain he could think of.

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Thranduil clenched Aragorn's shoulder comfortingly. "We will figure this out."

"Iston _[I know]_, hir nin." Aragorn whispered as he gazed at the prince's prone form. Thranduil had arrived a few moments ago and was not happy with the information Aragorn had given him.

Aragorn sighed, nothing was ever easy. They had won, they were now safe and healing. This was not supposed to happen. He would find out what was wrong with Legolas, and then he would make those responsible pay.

"He is stirring," the healer announced excitedly, grabbing Legolas' shoulders gently. "Prince Legolas, can you hear me?"

The archer's blue eyes cracked open and he blinked repeatedly, focusing. He looked around at Aragorn and Thranduil. They both wore nervous expressions.

Legolas' gaze drifted to Sinarel, who was watching him intently. The warrior was a few beds away but seemed to be aware of what was happening. Legolas' eyes settled on Aragorn. "Estel."

"Legolas, how do you feel?" Aragorn asked carefully.

Legolas smiled. "Thirsty."

Thranduil chuckled slightly before nodding to the healer who shuffled away to find a glass of water. The king rested a hand on his son's forehead. "Do you feel well, ion nin?"

"Yes, Ada, I am perfectly okay."

Thranduil frowned. "Do you remember what happened in Estel's room?"

Legolas nodded. "Yes."

Thranduil opened his mouth to say something but the she-elf returned, a cup of water in her hands.

Aragorn gaped at his friend who accepted the water and began to drink hungrily. "Legolas, you are not acting yourself."

The prince raised an eyebrow at Aragorn. "I am fine." He smiled pleasantly at his father who frowned back. The archer downed the rest of the water before staring at the cup intently. He looked at his father again, a strange look in his eyes, before he hurled it at the king.

Thranduil was caught off guard, not expecting his son to hurl the cup at him. It whacked into his forehead, leaving a bloody mark. Thranduil winced in pain, a hand automatically going to the bloody bruise.

Aragorn gasped. Legolas had just attacked his father. The mark on the king's forehead was already turning a dark brown colour and was dripping blood. He stood, not sure what to do. "Legolas, this is not you!"

"Wrong," the prince chuckled before leaping out of the bed at Aragorn. They both fell to the floor with a loud 'crash'. Aragorn hissed in pain as Legolas head-butted him. His vision swam and he momentarily stopped fighting, allowing the archer to pin him.

Thranduil groaned before standing, turning to frown at Legolas. There was something very wrong with his son. He bent down and wrapped his strong arms around his son's slim waist, lifting him to his feet.

The prince whirled around, bringing his fist up and thrusting it into Thranduil's jaw. The king gasped and wrapped his hands around Legolas' wrists to prevent him from attacking. "Ion nin, you must tell me what is wrong!"

Legolas thrashed wildly, trying to reef his hands out of the king's grip. "Nothing! I told you, are all of you stupid!?"

Aragorn stood up behind Legolas, rubbing his sore head. "What do we do with him, hir nin?"

"I do not know," Thranduil said sadly, gazing at his son with a deep sadness in his eyes. "Is it Oliner? Has he done this!?"

Legolas smiled at Thranduil knowingly for a moment before renewing his thrashing. "Let me go!"

Thranduil nodded sadly to Aragorn. The ranger nodded in reply before unsheathing his sword which he had bought, just as an extra measure, and slamming the hilt into the back of his friend's head. Legolas went limp with a soft moan.

Thranduil supported his son, a tear escaping the corner of his eye. "Oh, Legolas, what has he done to you now?" He laid him back on the bed. The shocked healer only nodded and began to inspect the bruise on the king's forehead.

Aragorn shook his head sadly. "Maybe it is related to how Oliner just fell dead, no wounds or anything?"

The king nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, that could be true." He winced as the she-elf pressed on the bruise. "I wish I knew what was happening to him. I feel so powerless."

"You are not powerless, my king." Aragorn touched Thranduil's shoulder gently. "We just need to be strong, for Legolas' sake. Are you sure Oliner only touched his shoulder before he died?"

Thranduil narrowed his eyes for a moment. "I believe so. He was fingering the hole, I am sure of that. Though, the healers examined the wound, there were no signs of an intrusive device."

Aragorn frowned and leant forward to inspect the prince's torso. He moved the tunic away from his shoulder and stared at the gash and arrow wound. The gash was still a light red colour but was healing well. It was scabbing over. The arrow wound was healing even better, smoothing over and regaining its flawless skin.

Thranduil peered over Aragorn's shoulder at the wounds. "Do you think the healers missed something?"

Aragorn shrugged. "I do not know, but I'm not ruling anything out just yet." He folded the tunic back over it and patted his friend gently on the arm. "I hope he will be okay."

"As do I," Thranduil whispered, hissing as the healer continued to probe his bruise.

"He is healing well, so this cannot be blamed on physical stress," the she-elf informed them.

Aragorn sighed. "This is just terrible. Oliner is dead, this just isn't fair. How can a single elf be so much trouble?"

"He is smart," Sinarel said from his bed. He had watched the whole scene in shock.

Thranduil growled. "Not as smart as me." He touched Legolas' cheek. "I _will_ find out what he has done, and I _will_ stop him."

Aragorn and Sinarel nodded in agreement. It was time to finish Oliner once and for all, scrape his unclean presence from the world.

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**TBC**

**A/N: Give it up for chapter twenty! Yippee! Well, I hope you all continue to enjoy the story, review and let me know!! The next chapter should be up in two days though I am really, really busy as of lately. I'm so SORRY!! I promise you that if it isn't up on Saturday it will be Sunday, no more than three days. I really do plan to get it up on Saturday but I'm just letting you know in case the unthinkable happens. :)**


	21. Fighting For Control

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: Hannon lle for the reviews, they are just terrific to read!! Look who updated on time!! Yay, I'm not late! I hope you all enjoy this chapter thoroughly, here you go…**

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Chapter Twenty-One: Fighting For Control

Legolas' eyes snapped open and he groaned as pain radiated throughout his head. He sat up slowly, blinking repeatedly to clear his swimming vision. He was still in the blackness, the horrible, claustrophobic blackness. He groaned again.

He peered around for Oliner, knowing the elf had to be somewhere. He sighed in relief when he saw the elf's limp form lying horizontally a few feet away from him. He looked unconscious, which was odd.

Legolas dragged himself to his feet, frowning at the captain's prone body. He approached him, crouching down next to his head. Last time, the elf had been erect, but now he was sprawled out on his back.

Legolas touched Oliner's cheek cautiously but the elf did not awaken, only shifted slightly and moaned. Perhaps he was really unconscious. Legolas smiled, this could be an opportunity for him to retake control over his body.

He stood, closing his eyes. He wasn't sure how it worked, whether it happened by itself or whether he had to try. He also wasn't sure how Oliner had fallen unconscious. His body might have been knocked out, rendering the captain unconscious as well. He couldn't think of anything else.

He scowled when nothing happened and opened his eyes. This task would frustrate him easily, of that he was sure. He sighed and decided to try pacing. He might be able to awaken his mind, allowing it to recognize him and give him control.

He took a step before his head swam and he found himself focusing on Aragorn's face. He blinked several times to bring his friend into focus, sighing in relief when he realized he had control over his body.

"Legolas?" Aragorn asked him cautiously.

"E-Estel?" Legolas inhaled deeply.

"Yes, Legolas, how do you feel?" Aragorn frowned at the elf, unsure how to act. If Legolas was still trying to kill them, he would have to be extremely careful.

Legolas groaned. His head was pounding; he found it hard to think. The human had just asked him how he felt, but there was no time for that, Oliner could wake up at any moment. "Estel, no, no, you must listen to me!"

The ranger's eyes narrowed as his frown deepened. "Legolas, what is wrong with you? You tried to kill your father! You tried to kill me!"

"NO!" Legolas sat up, squeezing his eyes shut tightly for a moment to try and clear his head. "No, Estel, I didn't."

"Yes, you did." Aragorn felt thoroughly confused. The elf was acting as if he didn't recall the incidents. He took a step back, his hand going to the hilt of his sword. "Legolas, what do you remember?"

The prince gazed at him sadly. "I know I tried to hurt you, Oliner told me. You must understand, I couldn't stop him!"

"What!?" Aragorn asked, anxiety lacing his voice. What had Oliner done?

"He's controlling me, Estel, my shoulder!" Legolas felt something hard collide with his mind, as if he had just been punched. "No, I'm sorry, it's him, it's him……"

"Legolas!" Aragorn grabbed the elf's head, shaking him. "No, Legolas! What has he done? You must tell me." He continued to shake the unresponsive elf.

"Estel, what is it?" Thranduil had heard Aragorn's frantic calling and had come back into the room. He had been conversing with the healer outside about Legolas' wounds and if it was possible they could have missed something in the examination.

"He was awake, hir nin," Aragorn said sadly. "He was saying that he couldn't stop Oliner, that he was controlling him or something. He has fallen unconscious again now."

The king sighed wearily. "We must stop Oliner. He has obviously found some way to enter my son's body, to control him. He will not succeed."

The healer appeared beside Thranduil. "My king, Oliner may very well have planted the source within Prince Legolas' shoulder. From what I have heard about what happened in the forest Oliner was fingering the wound. I do not think him doing that right before he died is a mere coincidence. Perhaps if we undo whatever he has done, it will free the prince's mind."

Thranduil sighed. "It has already been examined."

The healer nodded. "We could perform a more thorough inspection. It is very possible we missed a minute detail. Perhaps there is something small we missed, it would be worthwhile to just make sure."

Thranduil nodded. "It is worth a try. A second inspection could prove useful. Though, the wound has closed now. To examine it, we would need to reopen it."

Aragorn felt nauseous. That meant cutting into Legolas, causing him pain. He shuddered at the thought of slicing into his friend's skin. "It might be the only way."

The healer nodded. "I will fetch the required tools."

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Legolas moaned as Oliner's fist smashed into his face, knocking him backwards. He had known that he had not had much time, though this was considerably less than he had thought.

The captain pushed him backwards. "Foolish princeling! You shouldn't have done that!"

"I will not let you hurt my father and friend using me anymore!" Legolas fumed as he stumbled back.

"I am not asking for permission, princeling," Oliner snarled, flashing out his left leg and hooking it behind the prince's ankle. A second later Legolas was sprawled on his back.

The archer released a gasp as he landed on the blackness. He tried to roll away from Oliner but the captain managed to pin him, digging his knee painfully into the prince's stomach. "I must say, princeling, you are making this more troubling than I had first anticipated. Though, it is more enjoyable."

"I will not stop fighting you Oliner," Legolas ground out angrily.

"That makes it more fun, though it wastes my time. You should cooperate; it would save you a lot of unnecessary pain." Oliner put more weight on his knee, making Legolas gasp.

Legolas hated that Oliner was making him squirm, it made him feel weak. He gasped again and tried to lash out at the captain but Oliner held his arms down. There was nothing he could do; Oliner had him completely at his mercy.

"See? I do not need your permission, there is nothing you can do about it," Oliner taunted, twisting Legolas' wrists painfully.

The archer winced and tried to pull his arms out of the other elf's grip but Oliner's knee in his ribs stopped him. He didn't know what to do, he had to stop Oliner. Aragorn had had pain in his eyes, emotional pain. He wouldn't let this happen, he couldn't. "NO! They will not fall for it again, they know it's you!"

"Maybe. Though, that will not stop them from feeling complete and utter horror as the Prince of Mirkwood draws a dagger across their throats." Oliner grinned and pulled Legolas up into a sitting position, sliding off of him slightly.

The archer immediately began to struggle as soon as the knee was removed. "I will kill you Oliner. I will snap your neck!" He twisted, trying to kick and punch but Oliner kept control over him, sitting on his legs and holding his hands.

"We'll see," Oliner grinned before standing, lifting Legolas from the ground a little bit. He then drew his knee forward and sent it crashing into the prince's face, smiling as blood spurted from his nose and his eyes rolled back in his head. He could now continue with his plans.

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Aragorn sighed as the time ticked by ever so slowly. The healer was preparing to make an 'incision'. He didn't want to see Legolas cut open and shuffled through like a backpack but searching the wound again seemed like the only thing they could do at the moment.

He thought it unlikely that the healers had missed something, elves had keen eyes. They would find it harder to miss something than to not. Though, it was better than waiting for things to happen on their own.

Thranduil was also watching in anticipation. He was not pleased they were going to cause Legolas further pain but he had drawn the same conclusion as Aragorn, it was better than nothing. If they let things just play out, they would probably not end up in their favour.

The she-elf moved the small knife closer to the skin, making a fine cut. She then put pressure on the knife, digging it deeper. Her nose crinkled as blood began to pool from the skin.

A second later Legolas awoke with a start, moaning as his shoulder seemed to hurt. He turned furious blue eyes on the healer who took a small step back. "How dare you! What are you doing to me!?"

The she-elf closed her eyes and breathed deeply. "Hir nin, we are going to examine your wound. I thought you would remain unconscious. We didn't want to risk giving you herbs in case it affected you in an unforeseen way, heightening the problem." She lifted a small bowl. "Take this. I am choice less now."

"NO!" Legolas knocked the bowl across the room where it crashed with a loud _'thud'_. "I am not a simpleton! That will drug me, knock me out. I do not think that will be happening!"

"Ion nin, you must," Thranduil ordered, trying to keep his voice firm. He hated seeing his son like this, it broke his heart.

He had been the one who had decided to avoid giving Legolas any sort of sleeping herb. The problem he was experiencing was obviously mental, and drugging him could have a disastrous effect. If he was fighting for control or resisting Oliner, they could unknowingly hinder him. That was not something Thranduil had wanted them doing.

Legolas reefed the blankets off and threw his legs over the side of the bed. He wore his leggings but his tunic was gone. He stood swiftly and knocked Thranduil back.

The king fell to the ground with a small grunt. "Legolas, NO!" He tried to get to his feet but Legolas kicked out at the king, hitting him in the jaw. He fell back down with a groan.

Aragorn rushed forward to restrain his friend but the elf brought up his fist and hit him squarely on the nose. The ranger stumbled back, holding his freshly healed nose which began dribbling blood again.

The prince turned and glared at the healer. He knocked her across the room with a swift punch where she sprawled, stunned. He then proceeded forward, sprinting from the room hastily.

He hid a grin as he moved swiftly down the hall. He would need to execute his plans with higher risk now. He swung through a side door and sprinted through the room, placing as much distance between himself and the healing ward. Perhaps he could locate some elves before his father and feed them a lie, twisting them to his side. It was worth a try.

His shoulder still bled freely but it was not too deep, it would clog soon and then hopefully the pain would lessen. He couldn't believe how close he had been to being cut open. If they had found the device, it would have dashed his plans. He sighed in relief and continued to run, not really focusing on where he was heading.

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Thranduil rose from the ground, gazing at the door in shock. "We must get him," he muttered before running after Legolas. He exited the room and sprinted down the hall but Legolas was fast, very fast. He cursed angrily when he couldn't find any clues as to where the swift elf had gone.

"King Thranduil, can you find him?" Aragorn asked, catching up to the elf.

The elven king shook his head. "No, he is gone. I wish he was not so good at hiding himself sometimes." He turned to the human. "Are you okay?"

Aragorn nodded. "I am fine; it was just a punch. We need to stop him from hurting anyone but we also need to get _our_ Legolas back."

The king nodded. "I agree. We will search for him; I will have every available elf looking for him." He turned and began down another hall, disappearing.

Aragorn sighed. Thranduil would take care of organizing search parties so that there was a higher chance of Legolas being found but the prince was very skilled, more skilled than most elves. If he was intent on not being found, he could usually achieve that goal.

He turned and ran back to the healing ward to check on the healer. He had momentarily forgotten her in his haste to catch up to Thranduil. He shuffled into the room and saw the she-elf placing some disturbed objects back into their correct places. Legolas had knocked a few things about.

"Lle mae _[Are you well]_?"

The healer turned to Aragorn, giving him a small smile. "Yes, I am okay. Did you locate Prince Legolas?"

The human shook his head sadly. "No, he is too skilled. It will take the whole of Mirkwood to track him down. Even then, they still might have trouble."

She chuckled softly. "I will finish here and then I will make sure that the other patients are protected, just in case. He will probably leave the healing wards alone but I cannot be certain."

Aragorn nodded. "He will probably try and eliminate King Thranduil and myself first. Oliner seems to want to take down any authority figures, he must be stopped."

The healer nodded. "Ist nîn be naw lîn_ [I agree]_."

The ranger smiled before turning back to the hall. He was not sure how long it would take for other elves to join the search but he could start now; there was nothing more for him to do. He needed to find Legolas, to make things right again.

He unsheathed his sword and opened a door to his left. He entered cautiously, surveying the room. Legolas could be anywhere; he couldn't afford to be careless. Again, he felt anger swell up inside of him. Oliner was a foul, vile being. That one, single elf had caused more pain in two weeks than a group of orcs could in a month.

He closed the door behind him, never taking his eyes off of the wall in front of him. He was poised for an attack at any moment; the slightest hint of movement would alert him. He breathed softly so that he could listen carefully. He knew that there was definitely no chance of hearing an elf, they were too light on their feet, but he wanted to keep an ear out just in case there was something else to give Legolas away. Listening was always a useful skill when it came to tracking.

He approached another door, tentatively thrusting it open. His eyes roved around the next room quickly, searching for even the tiniest hint of Legolas' being here. The elf prince was incredibly skilled and would not be tracked easily, as would no elf. He sighed in frustration; this would be a long and daunting task.

It was more likely that Legolas would find him before he found the archer. If Legolas wanted both him and Thranduil dead, then he would also be on the hunt. He would need to keep his eyes even more peeled, he couldn't risk any mistakes. Legolas wanted to kill, which was a disadvantage to Mirkwood. To fight to kill meant having more options left open to you, that was something Legolas had which they did not.

He was now in a study of sorts, a small collection of dusty books residing in one corner of the square room. A few chairs donning cushions sat in the centre of the room, a writing desk and quill over to one side.

He maneuvered through the furniture slowly, using his peripherals to keep an eye on the corners of the room. He saw the room was clear and retraced his steps, unable to go any further that way. He made his way back to the hall and continued in a different direction.

He never lowered his sword, always in expectation of an attack. As he walked, he heard a noise from ahead. There were voices. He approached cautiously, his feet as quiet as a human's could be on the ground. As he approached the corner he made out the sounds of two distinct male voices. One of them made his stomach shrivel.

"I assure you that if these orders are not carried out, you will be punished."

"Of course, hir nin," Another voice replied shakily, clearly put off by his lord's threat.

Aragorn pressed his back against the wall and poked his head around the corner. He was met by Legolas' piercing sapphire eyes staring straight at him.

"Ah, Estel, what are you doing poking your head around corners?" The golden-haired archer sauntered forward.

Aragorn gasped and took a step back, brandishing his sword. He noticed Legolas had located a tunic, hiding the cut that had been made into his shoulder. It was not one of the prince's but a spare one, no doubt located in a rush. Behind the prince stood a dark-haired elf who looked completely bewildered.

"Legolas, Oliner is using you. You must fight him!" He held his sword out straight to stop the elf's advance.

"Estel, what are you doing!?" The anonymous elf asked, shock written into his fair face.

"Master Edhel," Aragorn looked at the elf briefly, "this is not the prince we know. Oliner has corrupted him, he needs help. I suggest you run to alert the warriors and King Thranduil to the fact that we have located Legolas."

The elf's eyes were still wide but he nodded and sprinted off down the corridor.

Legolas grinned at Aragorn. "And then there were two."

"Legolas, can you hear me? Mellon nin?" Aragorn didn't lower his sword but his voice was pleading, begging his friend to respond.

The archer raised an eyebrow. "Give it up, edan; your efforts are in vain." He ducked and lashed out with his long leg, tripping the human who had not had the time to blink.

Aragorn landed with a grunt, his sword slipping from his fingers. His head hit the floor painfully and all he could do was close his eyes for a moment as he experienced an assortment of spinning colours.

When he opened his eyes it was to see Legolas' curious face staring down at him. The elf tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. "I will not allow you to cut into my shoulder."

"We will stop you Oliner!" Aragorn ground out between clenched teeth. He tried to sit up but the archer planted a foot on his chest firmly.

"I sincerely doubt that."

Aragorn glared up at the prince. "We will undo whatever you have done to Legolas and then your foul presence will be gone from this world. Middle-Earth will be rid of you!"

Legolas shifted his weight, placing more on the ranger's chest. "I am going to kill you, Aragorn." He kicked the human, hitting him in the nose again.

Aragorn cursed in elvish, his hands going instinctively to his nose. He felt hot blood assault his hands and senses. It ran down into his mouth, allowing him to taste it, it surrounded his nose, allowing him to smell its metallic scent. He grimaced and opened his eyes which he had closed in pain.

Legolas grinned own at him, now holding the human's discarded sword. As Aragorn had been momentarily sidetracked with his nose, Legolas had taken the opportunity to sweep down and claim the weapon. He pointed it at the ranger's throat threateningly.

Aragorn searched the elf's eyes for any sign of his friend, the Legolas he knew and loved like a brother. He knew that there was every chance Legolas was fighting to regain control but he wished that he would hurry up. He didn't want Oliner to kill him, not like this, not using Legolas.

"Well, here ends the life of Isildur's heir," the elf taunted sadistically before pressing own with the blade.

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Legolas tackled Oliner's legs, desperate to stop him. His peripheral vision was blurred due to his state of half-consciousness but he was aware enough to know Oliner needed to be stopped. He groaned as he smacked into the everlasting blackness, bringing the captain down with him.

Oliner shrieked as he hit the hard blackness, dazing him for a moment. As soon as his vision cleared he kicked out at the barely conscious prince, knocking him back.

More blood spurted from Legolas' nose and split lip. He fell back, his vision blacking out dangerously before returning, still slightly hazy. "Leave…my father and Estel a-alone!"

"No," Oliner said aggressively, rising and approaching the figure sprawled out on the blackness. "You will pay for your continual interferences!"

Legolas scuttled backwards, his head still pounding. He didn't want Oliner to knock him out again, he wasn't sure he would be able to regain consciousness as quickly as he had been doing so far. "I will not allow you…to use me without fighting you."

The captain grinned down at Legolas, a sadistic spark in his eyes. "As much as I love to hear that, I cannot waste too much time on you." He bent and reefed the prince's head back by his golden locks. "Though, I can always spare a little while. Consider yourself an _exception_."

Legolas moaned as Oliner sent his fist crashing into his face. He felt even more blood dribble down his chin and his vision dim considerably. He struggled weakly against the captain but was held firmly in place by his hair.

"Aragorn is dead, Legolas, you killed him," Oliner purred next to the archer's ear softly. "You held the sword that pierced his heart."

"No…" Legolas moaned, pulling against the captain feebly. "No, you're lying!"

"I assure you I am not. He is dead, nothing more than a lifeless corpse staining the ground with his blood. I wonder what his final thoughts were as Legolas Greenleaf plunged the blade into his chest, as he felt his existence fading."

"Stop!" Legolas commanded feebly, glaring at Oliner icily. "Stop."

The captain chuckled and rammed his fist into Legolas' stomach, pleased when he gasped and tried to curl in on himself, only to be once again thwarted by the hand holding his hair. "Legolas, you killed Aragorn."

"NO!" Legolas thrashed wildly despite the pain in his scalp. He couldn't believe Aragorn was dead, he couldn't. Oliner had to be lying; he wished so much that Oliner was lying. He had no proof either way, though, and all he could do was hope. Hope. Aragorn was Hope. Was Hope gone? If Aragorn was dead, there was no Hope. If there was no Hope, what was the use in fighting?

Oliner grinned as Legolas' body slackened, a silver tear escaping the corner of the archer's eye. "I watched the pure, absolute horror that passed across his eyes before they glazed over."

Legolas released an involuntary, dry sob. "Estel…"

"Is dead," Oliner said happily. He lifted Legolas to his feet, smiling wickedly as the elf prince didn't struggle. "He is gone Legolas."

The prince gazed at Oliner sadly, a deep depression shining through his eyes. "I will kill you."

"I'm already dead," Oliner grinned. "In a way."

Legolas felt rage boil inside of him. This elf was responsible for the destruction of his life. This single elf. He growled inhumanly and swung his leg out, kicking the captain in the knee.

Oliner stumbled and gasped in pain. "I do not know why you insist on doing things the hard way, princeling."

Legolas didn't comment, only leapt forward and presented Oliner with a swift uppercut to the jaw. He gave the elf a second to stumble back before advancing once more and executing another uppercut.

The captain moaned and grabbed Legolas' wrist as the prince aimed for a third strike. He grinned at Legolas through blood and twisted his wrist painfully.

The prince gasped and dropped to his knees, surprised that Oliner had caught his fist mid-swing. He winced as his wrist was strained further. The captain was twisting his hand around, ignoring his bones' protests at being bent the wrong way.

He lifted his other hand to try and stop Oliner but was stopped by a swift hit to the head, stunning him. He cried out sharply as his hand was pulled around in a full circle. He felt his bones grating, shifting. It was excruciating and he cried out again.

Oliner laughed in pure glee as he twisted the archer's wrist. He shuddered in pleasure as he heard a sickening _'snap'_ followed by a short scream.

Legolas' forehead was covered in a fine layer of sweat and he trembled against his will, gasping and moaning with each movement his wrist made. It was definitely broken.

Oliner inhaled deeply, as if consuming the pain Legolas was feeling. "That was wonderful," he whispered.

Legolas grimaced in pain as the captain squeezed his wrist and emitted another anguished cry. He tried to pry Oliner's fingers off of his wrist but only succeeded in jostling the broken body part further. The captain held his wrist in a vice-like grip.

Oliner studied Legolas curiously. "I am going to break every bone in your body, princeling. Then, you will not interrupt me."

Legolas forced himself to form a coherent sentence. The pain was blinding. "W-what about…t-time?"

Oliner sneered. "I have all the time in the world." He pulled Legolas forward by the wrist, rolling his eyes in mirth when Legolas screamed again.

Legolas felt fear contort his stomach as Oliner grabbed his index finger. He tried to curl his hand into a fist but his wrist was experiencing too much pain. All he could do was stare, wide-eyed, as Oliner grabbed his finger lovingly. "Every. Single. Bone." He pushed it back harshly. There was a sickening crunch before Legolas cried out loudly. Agony shot through his body in unrelenting waves. He wished for unconsciousness now, it would be a blessing.

The captain grinned. "I am going to mutilate your body, princeling. Well, this body anyway. You will not interfere again."



Aragorn gaped as Legolas dropped to the ground, his eyes rolling back in his head. He sat up shakily, pushing the sword away from him. He had been a second away from being killed by his best friend.

He stood shakily, breathing deeply to clear his mind. He bent down and checked Legolas' pulse; glad the elf was only unconscious. Perhaps Legolas was fighting back, thwarting Oliner. It was a hopeful guess.

He just rested for a moment, thanking the Valar that he was still alive. Legolas had been less than a second away from ending his life, it was a miracle. If it had happened any later than when it had, he would not have been here right now to think about it.

He jumped slightly as Thranduil appeared behind him, worry etched into every feature of his face. "Legolas?"

Aragorn pointed at the limp form on the floor. "He was so close to killing me, hir nin, before slumping to the ground unconscious."

Thranduil sighed in relief and nodded. He bent down and picked his son up gently. "We must take him back to the healing ward and examine his wound as quickly as possible."

Aragorn nodded and reclaimed his sword, sheathing it in his scabbard. "I will go ahead and alert the healer to our coming."

The elf king nodded and started forward as fast as he could. He had a group of ten warriors with him, all of which were shooting cautious glances towards their limp prince. They were all armed and ready for a fight, should one arise.

Aragorn started forward at a jog, ignoring the protests from his delicate leg. He didn't want to reopen the wound but he needed to reach the ward as quickly as possible. He turned the corner and reached the ward a minute later. The healer looked up, surprised, as he entered.

"We have Legolas, King Thranduil is bringing him here now," Aragorn relayed, shifting awkwardly. They were going to cut into Legolas now.

The she-elf nodded. "I will prepare his bed." She moved over to the bed Legolas had been resting on earlier and began lifting sheets, preparing it for when Thranduil entered.

The king carried Legolas in a moment later, seeing the bed which was Legolas'. He laid his son down gently and made sure that he was in a comfortable position. "We need to examine his wound as fast as possible. I still do not want to risk herbs, not if he is fighting mentally, but he must remain unconscious." He signaled to a warrior to come forward. "If he awakens, do not hesitate to render him unconscious again."

The warrior nodded, still not looking all too confident about hitting his prince but the king had ordered him to do so, so he would. "As you wish, my king." He wordlessly drew his sword and held the hilt at the ready. He remained a short distance off though, to give the healer room to maneuver.

Thranduil nodded and moved back, making room for the healer. "Are you ready?"

The she-elf held up the small knife. "Yes, I will begin now. Though, searching for something small will not be easy. It may take awhile."

"Let's hope it doesn't. I do not want him to wake up before we finish, it will be an unpleasant experience. Begin."

The healer nodded and removed Legolas' newly acquired tunic. She grabbed a clean, wet cloth and began cleaning the wound so that it was sterile. She grabbed a towel to prepare for the amount of blood that would be involved before placing the knife back to the wound and reopening the small cut she had made earlier.

_

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_

**TBC**

**A/N: YAY!! Give it up for chapter twenty-one!! This story won't be too much longer, only a few chapters left. I hope you all continue to review; you've made this story such an enjoyable experience for me thus far! I will try an update in two days, which will make it Monday, though I am still busy so I'll give you a small warning. If it isn't up on Monday (but it really should be!!) it will be up really soon. I PROMISE! :)**


	22. Nick Of Time

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: Again, I cannot thank you enough for the reviews, they are tremendously appreciated!! And look, YAY! I believe I'm not late! See how much I love you all! Please enjoy...**

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Chapter Twenty-Two: Nick Of Time

Legolas gasped as Oliner squeezed his broken fingers together, sending a wave of agony through his arm. He squirmed and tried to move backwards but Oliner pulled him forward, using his mutilated hand.

Oliner grinned and placed a large amount of pressure on the hand. He had broken all of the fingers, which joined with the broken wrist to send unimaginable pain throughout Legolas' body. He cried out as the sadistic captain ground his broken bones together.

He had tried many times to attack Oliner or move away from him but his wrist was always harshly assaulted and Oliner would bash him heavily in the face. He felt his strength dwindling and wasn't even sure he could lift his arm anymore, let alone swing it towards Oliner in a strike. All he could do was writhe and cry out as the deranged elf tortured him.

"Do you regret interfering now?" Oliner asked sweetly, curling the hand into a fist.

Legolas writhed in the captain's grip and hissed through his teeth, biting his tongue as hard as he could to block the scream. "N-never."

Oliner raised an eyebrow before dropping the broken hand and studying Legolas curiously. He smiled as the prince cradled his arm to his chest and began moving backwards.

The archer didn't get far as Oliner followed him, pleasure in his vicious eyes. The captain stood over him, looking down at him as if he was contemplating something. Legolas didn't enjoy being stood over and desperately tried to stand, to face Oliner like an equal.

"Do not even try, princeling," the captain drawled. "I will just knock you back down."

Legolas glared at the elf but didn't cease his attempts to fold his legs under him. If he didn't fight Oliner, then he would never see Aragorn or his father again. He felt his throat constrict. He may never see Aragorn again; Oliner had said he was dead. If that was true, he had lost his greatest friend and he was practically the murder. He felt depression fall over his mind like a dark net.

Oliner waited for Legolas to straighten, his knees wobbling slightly, before sweeping his foot out and knocking the prince back down. The archer released a cry of pain as his wrist hit the blackness forcefully, along with the rest of his body.

"I did warn you. Being stubborn does not always benefit you in the end."

Legolas groaned and tried to sit up but was stopped by a weight on his right leg. He had no more than a single second to recognize the pressure on his bent leg, it was not overly heavy and it rested on his leg more than pressing on it. There was still a large gap between the back of his knee and the blackness. After that second had passed, however, that one blissful second, he felt a long, agonized scream tear from his split lips to ring throughout the blackness.

He tried to focus his dimmed eyesight and saw Oliner grinning at him joyfully. His attention then went to his leg, which was sending waves of pure agony through his body. He cried out again and tried to move backwards.

That proved to be a mistake, however, as his leg erupted again as he tried to move weight onto it and he felt another scream emanate from his throat. He tried to focus his mind but all he wanted to do was get away from Oliner and his leg was preventing that.

"Did that hurt?" Oliner purred as he crouched down in front of the prince. There was a painful grimace contorting the archer's fine features.

"Y-yes."

The captain grinned as Legolas answered him. He placed his left arm upon the prince's broken leg, giving it a harsh squeeze. Legolas recoiled and screamed again, pure music to Oliner's ears.

"W-what…did you-" Legolas broke off as more agony swept through his leg, making him cry out.

"What did I do?" Oliner grinned. "I broke your leg. It is quite easy, really, when you possess the strength of an elf." He smiled blissfully as he remembered placing his left foot under the prince's calf, moving his right to rest on the prince's slightly raised knee. In a movement too fast for human eyes to perceive, he had pressed down with his right foot and pushed up with his left. His elven balance had been the only thing that let him do it; a human would have toppled to the ground.

Legolas gasped and tried to view his leg, only to have Oliner's boot rammed forcefully into his chest. He fell back with a groan which turned into another cry of agony as his leg was jostled. His vision swam for a moment before he focused on the elf's face above him.

Oliner grinned and stepped down on the broken leg, grinning as Legolas cried out and tried to move away. He watched the fear blooming in Legolas' eyes, enjoying every moment of it. He knew that the elf was valiant, yes, but had lost hope after hearing of the human's death. "It isn't over yet, princeling, not until there is no single bone left whole in your body."

Legolas winced and tried to throw Oliner off balance, which resulted in the captain exerting more pressure onto his leg. He bit his lip to stop a scream and quickly felt blood dribble down his chin.

Oliner grinned. "You _will _regret interfering."

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Aragorn forced himself to look no matter how badly he wanted to close his eyes, to turn away. He would not avert his gaze when Legolas was having something as important as this done to him. He would support the elf by being here.

The prince had not awoken again, fortunately, but he did twitch every once in a while. The healer had been forced to halt her task and wait for Legolas to stop when he had writhed badly not too long ago. He had emitted a strangled cry and arched his back, forcing two warriors to come forward and hold him down.

Thranduil's face was expressionless, his emotions hidden behind the perfectly sculpted mask he had donned. He had stood a few feet from Legolas' bed, staring at his son's face, since the she-elf had begun. He had almost become a statue, blending in with the natural décor of the room.

He had been watching the healer work intently. Though, whether he was seeing what the healer was doing was another matter. From the way his eyes had a slightly glassy look to them, he was lost in thought.

The she-elf had made a hole into Legolas' shoulder, roughly in the same spot as the arrow wound had been. She had an assortment of bandages and padding surrounding the wound to stem the blood flow. They did not need Legolas bleeding to death now.

Aragorn had winced repeatedly whilst the hole had been carved into Legolas flesh. It was slightly larger than the original arrow wound and bled a lot. The she-elf had taken a long time to make cuts of the right size, decorating Legolas' skin with red lines, both deep and fine.

"I will attempt to examine the flesh now," the healer announced, drawing the wavering attention of everyone in the room. She picked up two small tools, similar to needles, and began to use them to push the wound open in either direction.

Aragorn felt his stomach drop as blood pulsed out of the wound and was caught on the fence of bandages surrounding the hole. Once the healer had opened the wound a fair distance, she picked up what looked like a thin pair of tweezers.

The she-elf turned to her spectators and raised an eyebrow as they all wore similar looks of disgust. "You do not have to watch."

Thranduil gave her a curt nod, signaling to continue. She nodded and returned to her work. She inserted the tweezers into the wound, controlling her stomach when flesh rubbed against flesh and produced a sickening noise.

She had to grab a small, thin metal rod, no longer than her thumb and no wider than a piece of string. She jabbed it into the wound as well, ignoring the stomach-churning noise and began to separate flesh from flesh, pulling them away from each other.

She was extremely gentle, making sure to cause no damage to the interior of Legolas' shoulder. After parting two parts of the flesh, she hunted the bloody area keenly, searching for anything out of place. "Hir nin, I do not see anything."

Thranduil swallowed and stood forward, risking a look at the bloody hole. He peered down at the open flesh and searched for anything out of the ordinary. "Go deeper."

The healer nodded before pushing her tools down further. She pushed certain lumps of flesh out of the way to try and glimpse all of the area. "It all looks okay, my king, I am not sure how else to check. Whatever is responsible could be too small for even elven eyes to see."

Thranduil sighed and rubbed his son's hair gently. "Oh, ion nin……"

"My king," Sinarel gained their attention from his bed. "Perhaps if Prince Legolas awakens, we could get him to provide us with details concerning the situation."

The king frowned for a moment. "But then we would need _my son_ to awaken, not his corrupted mind."

Aragorn stood forward and placed a comforting hand on the king's shoulder. "He has gained control before, hir nin, perhaps he can do it again."

Thranduil sighed and looked at the human. "We cannot just wait for Legolas to wake up on the off chance that it will be him. I don't want to risk him fleeing again."

Aragorn nodded. "I agree, King Thranduil, but I do not see how else we will locate the source of the problem. It may not even be in his shoulder."

"His shoulder is the most likely place, Oliner touched it before he died and Legolas said that his wound had burnt ferociously. I believe that the cause of this is located in his shoulder." Thranduil frowned down at his son.

Aragorn nodded again. "I agree, though that does not mean we are right. How should we proceed, then?"

Thranduil turned his frown back to Aragorn. "We will keep digging." He nodded to the healer. "I want you to remove anything that looks even mildly suspicious. Keep your eyes out for any odd detail, any small thing."

The she-elf dipped her head respectfully before averting her attention back to the hole she had made. She pushed her tweezers in, looking for anything that could be called 'suspicious'. Though, all she saw was flesh. It was unnerving, what would they do if they found nothing?

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The scream was long, drawn out, full of complete agony. The agony was all-consuming, leaving no room for any other feeling. Legolas felt his throat constrict as the scream turned into a strangled sob.

"Do you regret interfering now?" Oliner purred sadistically next to his ear. He had the prince pinned to the blackness and was sitting atop him, breaking the fingers of his other hand.

Legolas cried out as Oliner bent a broken finger. He could feel the bones brushing against each other and it was excruciating. "N-no……"

Oliner sneered. "I can be very convincing." He snapped the fourth finger back, grinning as Legolas shuddered under him and moaned loudly. The prince tried to pull his hand back but Oliner squeezed the fingers and Legolas' feeble attempt stopped.

The archer's body was on fire. He could feel pain glowing white hot in his broken leg and hands. He cried out as Oliner deliberately hit his leg. His vision swam and some part of him wanted the peaceful realm of unconsciousness, to make the pain stop. Then he remembered what Oliner was trying to do and he fought to stay alert. He would not let Oliner take control of his body; he couldn't afford to let the elf try again.

The captain licked his lips as he gripped Legolas' last finger. "Do you regret interfering yet?"

The answer was always the same, it always would be. "No."

"Pity," he bent back harshly and there was a _'snap'_ followed by an agonized cry. "We'll just have to keep trying till you do."

"Oliner," Legolas gasped over the immense agony, "I could tell you I regret interfering and you would continue as you are; there would be no difference."

The captain grinned. "That may be so, but I still want to hear you say it."

"Then you will be sorely disappointed," the archer spat poisonously.

"We'll see," Oliner grinned and rotated the prince's index finger. Legolas hissed and trembled under him. "I will make you beg for me to forgive you Legolas."

"I will not beg you for a thing!" The archer hissed. "And I see no reason why I should seek your forgiveness."

"You will seek my forgiveness on the matter of your interferences. They are numerous and infuriating."

Legolas shook his head, swallowing the pain Oliner caused as he shifted his weight. "Never. Over my dead body."

The captain laughed. "Oh, my dear princeling, you will soon wish you were a dead body."

"We'll see," the prince echoed Oliner's earlier words.

"Yes, we will." Oliner grinned. "You will wish for death. Think of it like this, at least that way you will be reunited with your dead ranger."

_No, no, not Aragorn. He can't be dead, he just can't. I took him on that trip, I invited him. If I hadn't, he'd be alive. He'd be okay. Oliner never would have cursed him with his foul presence. He's dead because of me. Oliner even killed him whilst looking like me! I never got to tell him I trust him……_

"No reply?"

Legolas glared up at Oliner, something snapping. This man, this _elf_, was claiming to have killed his best friend while looking like him. That was unacceptable. He lunged upwards, sinking his teeth into the flesh of Oliner's forearm.

The captain yelped and tried to pull his arm away, which only resulted in Legolas tearing out a small layer of flesh from his arm. He looked down at the wound, scowling hideously. It was not deep but it still bled. There was a circle of bloody dents and a small graze where Legolas had pulled a fine layer of skin off.

The archer spat out the flesh and blood with disgust. He felt repulsed by what he'd done but Oliner deserved it. The captain deserved so much more.

Without so much as a hesitation, Legolas brought his broken hand into Oliner's face, knocking him to the side. The prince screamed as his bones were crushed into the captain's face but it removed the weight from his body. He was no longer pinned.

Oliner landed with a grunt. He had not expected Legolas to fight back. Especially with his broken hand. He sat up dazedly and glared at the archer who was also sitting, gasping in pain as he cradled his hands to his body.

It hurt to breathe. It hurt to sigh. It hurt to move in any minute way. Legolas moaned as one of his fingers was bumped, sending fresh agony throughout his body. He shuddered slightly and looked across at Oliner. The elf was rising.

Legolas knew he was at a major disadvantage; Oliner had no broken bones to contend with. Legolas could not stand, due to his broken leg and he could not use either of his hands, well, he could but it would cause him immense pain.

"You are a fool. You will pay for that, I will make you beg," Oliner threatened as he stood over the gasping prince. "You infuriate me when you cannot move, that is not bravery my princeling, it is stupidity."

Legolas glared up at the captain coldly. "We'll see." He swung his good leg out, knocking Oliner off his feet. He moaned as his damaged leg was disturbed by the quick movement.

Oliner gasped as his head hit the black ground harshly. Stars danced in front of his eyes and it took him a moment to get his bearings.

Legolas shuffled closer to Oliner, hissing as his leg was dragged. He also had to pull himself with his elbows. It was hard to avoid hurting his hands and moaned several times as they brushed lightly against each other or the blackness.

The captain lifted his head and grinned across at Legolas. "I watched the spark of life fade from his eyes. His silver orbs began to dim and all he could do was beg you to remember, to fight. He just wanted to be reassured that you were still his friend. But he never received that reassurance."

"No," Legolas choked out as he got closer to Oliner. The captain was sitting up. "I do not believe he is dead."

"Then you are in denial. It is understandable, he was your friend. Though, I am no longer sure as to whether you were his. He never got to hear you say you trust him. Instead, it was your hand that plunged the blade into his heart. I wonder what his last thoughts were……"

"Dina _[Be silent]_," Legolas hissed venomously.

"Then again, it wasn't hard to tell from his eyes," Oliner continued, grinning at the prince. "So much pain, so much unimaginable pain in their grey depths. He wanted to fight back, to save himself, but he didn't want to hurt you. There was so much suffering being conveyed in such a small amount of time. In the few short seconds before your hand thrust the blade, I could tell he was doubting. He was doubting as to whether you really weren't Legolas. He was considering the fact that it was you, his best friend."

"NO!" Legolas demanded, feeling a tear slide down his face. "I would never hurt him! Dina!"

Oliner's grin only broadened. "He didn't seem so sure. He looked up into your cold, blue eyes and I saw his own silver ones flare with fear. He was scared, not just of dying. He was scared that he would leave this world without ever hearing you say he was your best friend and that you still trusted him. He was scared that it was your own mind behind the actions, that Legolas Thranduilion really wanted him dead."

"DINA!" Legolas roared as more tears joined the others. He would never hurt Aragorn; he loved the ranger like a brother. This ordeal had placed so much pressure on their friendship but he would never try and physically hurt the ranger on purpose. He would rather die himself than murder his Hope.

"Imagine what it would feel like to be killed by your best friend, to have your existence ended by one you considered a brother. His soul will be scarred," Oliner whispered sadistically to the archer who was convulsing with suppressed sobs. Each convulsion caused him to moan as his injuries flared.

"Dina! Dina!" Legolas screamed with all the air in his lungs. "NO! DINA!" He swung his body around, too fast to register pain, so that his feet were near Oliner. Without a pause, he brought his good leg crashing into the captain's chest. The elf fell back with a grunt, Legolas' leg across his neck.

The archer snarled inhumanly before lifting his broken leg. He cried out in agony as the movement nearly rendered him unconscious. He then rested it across Oliner's neck as well. "You are a foul, vile being!"

Oliner blinked a few times before he registered what had happened. He glared at Legolas' legs furiously. "You are too weak to hold me down, princeling."

Legolas sneered. "Who said anything about holing you down?" He moved his good leg next to Oliner's ear. With immense effort he pressed down with his broken leg, crying out in pain, and kicked the captain's head to the side harshly, using every ounce of agility and strength he had left in his battered body.

There was a sickening _'crack'_ before Oliner's head hung limply, the light dying in his eyes. His hands, which had been rising to remove Legolas' leg, fell back to the blackness with a dull thump and he remained unmoving, lifeless.

Legolas let out a soft cry of relief before allowing himself to fall backwards. He groaned as his arms were jostled. "The end……the end…"

He had done it, he had ended it. It was over, Oliner was gone. He glanced at the captain's prone form again and was relieved to see it had not been an illusion, the captain really was dead.

He lifted his legs away from Oliner, an involuntary whimper escaping his throat at the pain shooting through his body. All he could do was lay there as the rest of his strength slowly drained from him.

The pain his broken bones were experiencing made him want to scream, to just continually writhe in agony. He would have too, had he the strength. It was tiring just keeping his eyelids open.

He risked using more strength as he smiled. Oliner was dead, it was finally over. For good this time, both the captain's foul mind and body had been extinguished. It was over.



Aragorn winced as the healer removed another blood-soaked cloth. She replaced it with a clean one and continued her probing.

It was amazing how much blood one could actually lose without dying. That was about the tenth cloth she had removed due to it being too soaked to accomplish its task any further.

Thranduil stood, still as stone, beside him. His eagle eyes never left the wound, taking in every single detail. If there was anything to be seen, Aragorn had no doubt the king would be the one to see it.

Aragorn closed his eyes briefly and exhaled. The tension involved with watching Legolas have his shoulder sliced open was torture. What if they could not find anything? What if Legolas woke up and tried to run again? What if the bandages didn't do their job and he bled to death? What if the healer made an unintentional error and caused Legolas further harm? The possibilities were endless and each worse-case scenario had played through Aragorn's mind a hundred times each.

Then, unexpectedly, Thranduil released a surprised cry right next to him. His eyes snapped open and he frowned at the elven king. "Hir nin?"

The she-elf and warriors also gave him confused looks. "My king, what is it?" The healer asked worriedly.

"There!" Thranduil lifted an elegant hand and pointed straight at Legolas' shoulder.

Aragorn stared excitedly but could not see anything. He knew Thranduil's elven eyesight would pick up small, minute details that his wouldn't.

The healer turned back and narrowed her eyes at the wound. Her mouth formed a silent 'O' and she moved her tweezers back into the wound. She frowned in concentration before coming up with a tiny piece of metal.

It was round and no larger than the point of the tweezers. It fit perfectly within their grasp. The grey device was covered in Legolas' red blood, his precious life force. "Is that it?" Aragorn enquired excitedly.

"I would believe so," the she-elf said quietly. "I wonder why I did not spot it earlier…"

"It camouflages…in with its…surroundings…"

All heads in the room turned at the sound of Legolas' weak voice. "Ion nin!" Thranduil cried before swooping down next to the bed.

The prince's turquoise eye opened and he smiled feebly at his father. "Ada……I killed him…he's dead."

"Oliner?" Thranduil raised an eyebrow.

Legolas nodded and swept his gaze around the room, blinking groggily. His eyes fell on Aragorn and he felt himself emit a strangled gasp. "E-Estel!?"

"Yes, Legolas, I am here," Aragorn said hastily, approaching the prince's side.

"O-Oliner said you…were dead." Legolas gazed up at his friend, immense joy filling him. "I knew he was lying."

"Ion nin, how do you feel?" Thranduil asked, concern lacing his vice.

Legolas opened his mouth to answer but gasped. "M-my shoulder! It throbs terribly." He turned his head and gazed at the hole in shock and confusion. "W-what……?"

"We were searching for the device in your shoulder, mellon nin," Aragorn explained. "We had to reopen the wound." He smiled as the healer dashed forward and began bandaging it properly.

The archer frowned but nodded. "It's over……he's dead…"

"Shh, rest ion nin. You have earned a rest." Thranduil rubbed his son's face gently.

Legolas didn't want to sleep, he had already spent too long away from his father and Estel. Estel! He was alive! By the Valar, his friend was okay. "Ada……" His eyelids closed of their own accord, ignoring his wishes and he found himself losing awareness.

Aragorn frowned at Legolas. For the elf's eyes to be closed meant that his exhaustion was terrible and he was experiencing a healing sleep. "I hope he will be okay now."

Thranduil nodded. "As do I." He straightened and smiled at Aragorn. "But Legolas is right, it is over."

The ranger nodded. "It is." He turned to the healer. "May I?" He held out his hand for the device.

The she-elf frowned and nodded. She held out the tweezers to him.

The human plucked it from the end of the tweezers and stared at it with resentment. Such a small thing, yet it had caused so much pain. He walked over to a side bench and laid it down on the surface. He then drew his sword. Without a moment's hesitation he brought the hilt of his sword crashing down. The metal orb shattered under the force, breaking into several tiny pieces.

Thranduil smiled and walked forward to place a hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "It is over."

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**TBC**

**A/N: See? Everything worked out in the end. Well, I hope you like it!! Not many more to go now, only like one or two. I will try and keep up with the pattern I've established for updating, which would make it Wednesday, but no promises! I'll try my hardest though. I mean, it's not like I've left you with a cliffhanger……for once. Again, reviews are appreciated and I would love to know what you think :)**


	23. Calm After The Storm

**Misplaced Trust**

**Author: Legolas Fanatic**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Disclaimer: (See chapter one)**

**A/N: Thank you everyone who has reviewed this story, you have all contributed to making my life awesome!!! And YES! This will be the final chapter of this story. Yay! I was going to have another chapter after this, but decided against it. Please enjoy and thanks again to everyone who has read this!!**

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Chapter Twenty-Three: Calm After The Storm

Legolas eased his eyes open gently. Light assaulted his delicate pupils and he had to snap his lids closed to block out the agonizing brightness. It was torture to his head.

The next thing that assaulted his body was a pounding headache. It seemed to make his skull vibrate, sending ripples of pain through his head. He suppressed a moan and tried to crack his eyes open again. This time, he took it slowly, giving his eyes time to adjust.

He blinked several times to bring the room into focus; he was still in the healing ward. There was a torch on the wall, lighting up the room conveniently. He felt safer just being drowned in light. He had had enough darkness, enough blackness.

He peered around and saw Sinarel lying on a bed nearby. The warrior was asleep, judging by his open and unfocused eyes, and had more colour in his face. It was easy to tell he was healing well.

Raaen was lying in the bed next to Sinarel, his eyes closed. The healer had, no doubt, drugged him again. Though, Legolas could not be sure. He did not know how long it had been since his brief moment of consciousness, when he had killed Oliner.

His eyes continued to traverse the room, searching for any other signs of life. He almost missed the unconscious ranger in the chair. Aragorn's mouth hung open slightly and his hair was a matted nest around his face. From his heavy breathing, Legolas guessed he was in a deep sleep.

The elf smiled to himself. Aragorn had stayed, he was still here. It gave Legolas a sense of relief, knowing that Aragorn was waiting for him. He would never be able to forgive himself if this mission, the one he had asked Aragorn to come on, destroyed their friendship. It was the most priceless thing they shared. To lose it would be similar to losing a piece of one's self.

He hoped Aragorn would forgive him, would understand that his actions had not been his own. He hated to think about how badly their bond had been warped and threatened. First, it had been the dreams, making Legolas doubt and even attack Aragorn. Next had been Oliner's consciousness inside his body, assaulting Aragorn both physically and emotionally. If their friendship was still even barely there, Legolas would make sure he did everything within his power to make matters with the ranger right again.

As he thought to himself desperately, trying to create a way to approach Aragorn about the events, he missed the human's eyes opening gently. The silver orbs focused and gazed at Legolas in shock.

"Legolas?"

The sound startled Legolas, making him wince and gape at Aragorn. "Estel?" His voice was soft and devoid of moisture.

Aragorn stood hastily, approaching the bedside. "How do you feel?"

The elf swallowed, trying to remoisten his mouth. "L-like my head…was trampled by a troll."

The ranger grinned slightly. "The healer said you may have a severe headache due to the battle you fought with Oliner being raged in your mind."

The prince raised an eyebrow. "Tis good to know I can expect this for a while then."

The human smiled at his friend. "What happened……to you I mean?"

Legolas frowned. "Oliner....was in my mind. He kept knocking me out to take control of my body, to keep harming you. Oh, Estel, I am so sorry."

"It is okay, Legolas," Aragorn whispered, placing his hand over the elf's comfortingly. "I know it was him, I know. You are, and always will be, my friend."

Legolas' eyes lightened and he seemed to release a breath he had been holding. "That is…pretty much it. He said he had killed you…using my body. I was furious, we had a fight and I won."

Aragorn smiled. "Even in your conscience, you are strong."

"It was you, Aragorn," the elf said seriously. "You gave me strength. Hearing of your death…it made me ignore the pain. It made me kill the one I thought was responsible for such an atrocious act. I would be empty without you, mellon nin."

The human blinked, stunned. He smiled at his friend hugely. "As would I should anything happen to you. We really need to avoid trouble from now on, we seek it too often."

Legolas grinned. "We do not seek it, Estel, it seeks us. I think it is attracted to your smell."

The ranger raised an eyebrow and feigned an offended look. "Are you implying that I _stink_?"

The archer's grin widened. "I do not need to imply. Aragorn, mellon nin, you stink."

The human shook his head sadly. "And you, elf, are incredibly, incredibly lucky. This little mission of yours could have ended very badly."

Legolas nodded. "I know. I am sorry for dragging you into it, Estel. If I had not invited you, none of this would have happened."

Aragorn frowned. "Oliner still would have betrayed you."

"But he wouldn't have been able to use us against each other. He nearly made me kill you more than once. If I had, it would have destroyed me. I am so sorry. Goheno nin _[Forgive me]_." Legolas looked at Aragorn sadly.

The ranger shook his head, this time in denial. "There is nothing to forgive, mellon nin. Whether you had invited me or not, I still would have found a way to join you. None of this is your fault, no one blames you."

The prince frowned. "I do."

"Stop this, Legolas." Aragorn sighed exasperatedly. "Oliner is the only one responsible, blame him. I do not consider this in any way your fault, and neither should you."

The elf frowned. "I know…but I cannot help it. You could have been safe were it not for me and my selfishness."

"Mellon nin, I wanted to go. I would rather face that a hundred times more than let you face it once alone." Aragorn looked Legolas in the eyes, making sure his message was conveyed. He would not let the elf beat himself up over anything that had happened.

Legolas frowned at the human, reading the honesty in his eyes. They really were bonded deeply. "Hannon lle."

Aragorn smiled, glad Legolas had taken him seriously. "Do you feel anything odd? The last thing we need is Oliner sneaking back through a device in your toe."

The elf arched an eyebrow. "I feel fine. Besides, he never touched my toes."

Aragorn grinned. "Just checking."

"You are awake."

Legolas turned and grinned at his father. "Ada, it is good to see you."

Thranduil smiled and entered the room fully. "And it is good to see you conscious, and yourself again."

"Indeed, it is," the archer agreed.

The king smiled. "How do you feel?"

Legolas suppressed a groan at the repetitive question. "I feel fine, apart from a splitting headache and a sore shoulder. He's gone, it's over."

Thranduil visibly relaxed. "Good, though I will get the healer to examine you again just in case. You can never be too careful."

Aragorn grinned. "Not when you're us, anyway."

Thranduil sighed. "Oh, the honesty of that statement cannot be explained with words."

Aragorn and Legolas grinned at each other. They had a reputation for getting into trouble, one known only too well by King Thranduil and Lord Elrond. The two elder elves were always tending to the pair in their healing wards, it had become somewhat of a ritual to return injured from even the most basic of missions.

"Here," Thranduil proffered a drink to his son, knowing that the prince was dehydrated.

Legolas had never seen something as beautiful as that mug of water. "Hannon lle," he said and then forced himself to accept the drink slowly, without snatching it. The first few gulps were pure torture to his deprived taste buds, but after that it was a blessed feeling, the water running down his throat.

"Legolas," Thranduil started hesitantly. "What exactly happened to Oliner?"

The younger elf shifted slightly and removed the, now empty, mug from his lips. "I-I killed him. Snapped his neck."

The king pursed his lips for a moment, thinking over the words. "You overpowered him, I am proud of you, ion nin."

Legolas smiled. "Thank you Ada, it is good to finally have it over." He closed his eyes for a brief moment. He would not tell them about the ordeal within his mind, they would only pester him further. It was not even relevant, Oliner was dead.

"Yes, it is," Thranduil agreed with a relieved smile.

"Perhaps that is why the device became visible," Aragorn said thoughtfully. "Legolas killed Oliner…so maybe that rendered the device inert. Its camouflage faded."

The king nodded. "Yes, I am of the same opinion." He patted his son's cheek gently. "Legolas' actions may have just saved his own life."

The archer smiled up at his father. "What did you do with the device?"

"I destroyed it," Aragorn said venomously. That crude little sphere would cause no more pain for anyone.

Legolas gave him a grateful look. "When do you plan to return to Rivendell?"

"Not yet," the ranger frowned. "I am not going anywhere until you recover fully."

The elf smiled at him, his eyes alight with relief and joy. Those words were pure ecstasy to Legolas' heart. Their friendship was good, it was healing, had already made it halfway. They would be okay.

"Perhaps I could travel with you…" Legolas looked at his father.

The king frowned. "I do not know, ion nin, you are still exhausted and wounded. I do not know if a journey to Imladris is the best thing for you right now."

"I would be with Aragorn and we will not leave until I am in good health." Legolas looked at Thranduil imploringly. "Elrond needs to be warned of the threat."

Thranduil sighed. "I am sure Estel can explain to Lord Elrond about 'Sharky' and what has transpired here."

"Please, Ada," Legolas said. "I do not want Aragorn to travel alone. Besides, it has been too long since I have seen the Peredhel family, I miss them."

Aragorn released a snort, startling Thranduil who was standing next to him. "Oh, yes mellon nin, I am certain you long to see Elladan and Elrohir again. It has been too long since they threw you in a lake or tied you to a chair."

Legolas grinned. "Indeed it has."

Thranduil sighed and shook his head. "If you so desire to travel to Imladris, ion nin, you may. But not for another week at least."

The archer nodded, knowing that he would not be able to sway his father into letting him leave any sooner. A week sounded reasonable to him anyhow.

Aragorn smiled. It would be great to have Legolas spend some time in Rivendell. "I'm sure Ada will be thrilled to have you as his guest."

"As will Elladan and Elrohir," Legolas laughed but then winced as his shoulder hurt.

Thranduil immediately stood forward and began to inspect the bandages. "I will send for a healer so that your wound can be cleaned and bandaged anew."

The prince nodded. "It hurts only slightly, I do not believe I am in need of any sedatives."

Both Aragorn and Thranduil laughed at that statement. "Oh, ion nin, you will always remain stubborn. Do not fret; I do not believe the healer will give you any sleep-inducing herbs."

Aragorn grinned. "When will Legolas be allowed to leave the ward?"

The king thought for a moment, ignoring the pleading look of his son. "Tomorrow if the healer tells me all is well and he does not try to leave before then."

Legolas groaned. "Tomorrow? Ada…"

"No, Legolas, you will stay in here willingly or you will be given a sedative." Thranduil crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, daring Legolas to defy him.

The young elf scowled and glared at his father. "Fine, but tomorrow _morning_."

Thranduil pursed his lips. "If you wish, though I think it would be better for you to stay in here for as long as possible."

Aragorn snickered. "I will watch him, hir nin. If he tries to leave before tomorrow morning, I will send for the most potent herb your healers have."

The king grinned slightly. "Good. I will go and locate the healer."

He turned and disappeared out the door, gliding gracefully over the ground. As soon as he left, Aragorn and Legolas burst out laughing.

"Do you really think you could prevent me from leaving?" Legolas asked.

"No," Aragorn answered after a brief moment's thought, "but the healer could. I'm sure you'd love some scrumptious herbs shoved down your throat."

Legolas scowled and crossed his arms. "As soon as the sun appears, ranger, I am out of here."

Aragorn laughed. "I would expect nothing less."



Legolas rapped on the door, formerly awaiting the invitation to enter.

"Come in."

The elf grinned and swung the door open. He stepped inside and waved in greeting to Aragorn who stood by the bed, an eyebrow raised.

Clothes were strewn all over the floor, some folded and others looking as if a warg had bunked in them for the night. The assortment of tunics and leggings on the ground caused Legolas' own eyebrow to rise as well.

"Legolas, how do you fare?" Aragorn asked with a grin. He had been asking the elf that whenever they came face-to-face. Legolas seethed visibly every time.

Legolas scowled. "Well, I believe that the hole in the back of my leg that is bleeding profusely could prove to be bothersome in a short while.

Aragorn laughed. "There is no need for sarcasm, mellon nin."

The prince grinned. "I need to maintain my reputation."

"As a sarcastic, stubborn, insane prince?"

"What else?"

Aragorn shook his head at his friend and picked a brown tunic off the floor. He folded it and shoved it into a small back pack.

"What are you doing?" Legolas asked, eyeing the clothes.

"I am preparing my pack for when we leave for Rivendell," the human answered, shoving a pair of leggings in with the tunic.

"But we do not leave for another five days," Legolas pointed out. "Or do you hope to actually be prepared by the time we leave for once?"

Aragorn scowled. "I just want to have things sorted so that I do not have to rush later. Have you packed _your_ equipment, mellon nin?"

"Nay, I do not find it necessary to pack five days before departure," Legolas said mockingly.

The ranger placed his hands on his hips and raised an eyebrow at Legolas. "Is that why you are here? To make this harder?"

The elf grinned slyly. "Of course not. Let me help." He stalked forward and picked up a tunic. He stretched it out. "Do you want this one?"

Aragorn examined it. "Yes, I believe so; it will be needed if the nights grow cold."

The archer snickered and hurled it into the pack unceremoniously. He grabbed another shirt. "What about this one?"

"Yes."

Legolas grinned and placed it in the pack. He then bent and scooped up a handful of clothes, squishing them into the pack. "Done."

Aragorn gaped. "What have you done!?"

"Helped."

"Helped!?" Aragorn started reefing things out of the pack. "You have messed it up! Why did you shove all of them in there?"

Legolas grinned. "I did not put _all_ of them in there, only a handful. You are done now; see how fast it can be?"

Aragorn growled under his breath at the elf. "But I do not want half of these!"

"Well, you seemed to be saying 'yes' to all the one's I held up," the archer sniffed.

"You held up _two_!" Aragorn turned on the elf. "And they just happened to be two that I needed."

Legolas smiled innocently. "Whoops. Oh well, we cannot change the past. Come on, let us go and do something entertaining."

Aragorn sighed and shook his head sadly. "Just wait until you are trying to pack. I will personally see to it that you regret these actions."

The archer grinned. "Like I haven't heard that before." He grabbed Aragorn by the tunic and led him out of the room.

The human had no choice but to follow. "You know, I have half a mind to tell Thranduil you are unwell and keep you in the healing ward for another week."

Legolas grinned at Aragorn. "At least you admitted to only having half a mind."

The ranger snorted and shook his head. "That's half a mind more than you."

The elf turned to the ranger and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Are you saying that you, a simple-minded edan, possess more intelligence than the Elven Prince of Mirkwood?"

"Not in so many words, but yes."

Aragorn only had a second to realize Legolas had picked him up before the elf was jogging down the hallway with him. "Legolas! Stop!"

The prince grinned, Aragorn draped over his left shoulder. "What is the matter, mellon nin?"

"What is the matter!?" The ranger's voice was slightly hysterical. "The matter is that you are carrying me like I am a pack!"

Legolas laughed but didn't relinquish his hold on the human. He turned the next corner and ran down the hall. "I am going to help you prepare for our departure."

"Where are you taking me!?"

The archer jostled Aragorn slightly. "To rid you of your smell." He swung open a door and strode over to a small bath filled with water. Without further ado, he dropped the ranger into the liquid unceremoniously.

Aragorn shrieked before his head went under. "Legolas!" He ground out angrily when he resurfaced. "Legolas……it is freezing!"

The elf's mouth twitched slightly before he sunk to his knees and roared with laughter. "I-I…know! I prepared it for you……before I c-came to see you!"

"I _will_ get you back for this!" The human threatened as his teeth chattered violently in his skull.

"Do not be such a mood kill, you are now nice and clean for when we leave." Legolas straightened slightly and grinned at his friend.

"Mood kill?" Aragorn asked dangerously. He approached the edge of the bath, making as if to hop out. Before Legolas could react, the ranger had lunged forward and grabbed his hand, pulling him forward.

There was a loud crash as the prince toppled into the water as well. He lifted his blonde head and glared at Aragorn. "Foul edan!"

The human laughed. "You started it! If I need to bathe…so do you."

"Not in this freezing water!" Legolas protested, swinging himself out of the bath. Before he could take another step, Aragorn had reefed him back in.

"You are not going anywhere!" The ranger laughed at Legolas' murderous expression.

At that moment, Thranduil poked his head around the corner. He had been on his way to his study when the commotion had caught his ears. "What in Arda are you two doing!?"

Legolas froze and gave his father a small smile. "Bathing. We need to be clean for our departure."

"Your departure is in five days!" Thranduil frowned at them. Perhaps they had gone mad? It wouldn't be unexpected.

"Yes, but Aragorn wanted to get ready early," Legolas explained, smacking the ranger upside the back of the head. Aragorn grunted and splashed the elf with a handful of water.

Thranduil shook his head. Just his luck to end up walking past them at this moment in time. Though, after everything that had happened, they were both in need of some spirit-lifting. "Do not make the ground slippery," he warned them.

Legolas grinned. "I would never dream of it. Do not worry Ada, we will be fine. We just cannot present Aragorn to Lord Elrond in the grubby state he is in now."

There was a wet _'smack' _as Aragorn pushed Legolas underwater for a second. Then there was a choking noise as the prince gasped for air. Several more splashes followed along with a few choice elven curses.

Thranduil smiled to himself and continued walking. It was over, for good, they were safe. They had earned their reprieve. Oliner was dead, the foul, traitorous elf would never bother them again. Only one worried played on the elf king's mind now. He just hoped Elrond would be able to handle what was coming his way in five days.

* * *

**A/N: Dun, dun, dun!! And there is the final chapter for this story. Yes, it is definitely over! I hope you guys all enjoyed it and I can't wait to hear your thoughts :)**

**Okay, I AM considering a sequel. Nothing has been confirmed so I don't want anyone to tell me I promised a sequel. I don't know yet. Tis only a thought at the moment. IF I decided to write one, it won't be up for awhile as I have to invent a plot and write it up. And that's after I even decide to write one or not. So, you can keep your eyes peeled if you want. If you think a sequel would definitely be a terrible idea, feel free to let me know in a review, I don't want to write one if it will mess up this story.**

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story. Every single, compliment, opinion, hint, tip, advice and mistake pointed out has contributed! Thank you all so much, this has been an awesome experience :)**


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